Caught and Set Loose
by Celtic Oak
Summary: AU. On a mission, Sakura and her companions find themselves in the custody of the wildest clan of the East Province. Forced to accept their hospitality and a redheaded escort, the medic must make the best of her situation, wherever it leads her. GaaSaku.
1. Caught

**A/N:** Well guys, here comes another one.

I'd posted a teaser up of this up on my livejournal. For those who read it, here's the continuation. For those who didn't, hope it catches your interest. Like I said before, I was overcome by the image of a sort of prehistoric Gaara knocking Sakura over the head with a club and dragging her away by the hair. As a result, I ended up writing 10 pages of what started out as a drabble.

This is set in an alternate universe but is similar to the Narutoverse when it comes to being a mix of technology and traditional Japan.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any of the characters of Naruto. This story was written for entertainment purposes only.

_Additional note:_ zubon trousers are the kind of trousers used in karate and other martial arts uniforms. They're loose but not as loose as a hakama.

Buki: Japanese for weapons, arms.

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**CHAPTER I – CAUGHT**

***

Sakura willed her jumping nerves to be still. Showing any sort of weakness would not be favourable under any circumstance. Wild beasts could smell fear and would react to it. She'd be damned if she gave anything away.

They'd done nothing wrong, damn it. There shouldn't be any reason for them to feel guilty, none at all. As a matter of fact, they were out on a rescue mission of some sort... placing their lives in danger for the benefits of others.

How the hell could they have known the sandstorm would hit during the night? They had no idea of how to predict the errant weather of the region. With the desert so near the arid landscape they were traversing, they knew sandstorms were a possibility... they just didn't know how quickly they could sneak upon unsuspecting travellers.

They had been forced to find shelter and it had been almost two hours before they'd found any kind of decent cover. It was impossible to tell where they were going in the sand filled darkness. By then, it was entirely too late. They'd wondered too far among the crags, going into territory they should've avoided at all costs.

Now, their small group found itself in the hands of the wildest clan of the East Province... with, Sakura suspected, no possibility of immediate release.

She'd tested the coarse rope binding her hands behind her back while they were "escorted" to the clan's main stronghold and realized they had been strengthened with chakra. There was no other option but to attempt a dialogue of some sorts with the leader of this wayward assemblage.

After walking all night, they were herded into the main hall of a large round building, not allowed any sort of respite. The pink haired girl's hopes fell when she entered a spacious hall, filled to the brim with warriors who looked just as tough and crude as the ones in their impromptu welcome party. The news of their capture had spread fast and it seemed every fighter in the village had turned up to see their arrival.

The crowd parted before the guards that led them as they moved to the back of the room. Sakura could make out a large chair made of animal hide and crowned with impressive antlers standing on an elevated platform. It was empty at the moment but she had no doubt the clan's chieftain would be making an appearance very soon.

Jeers were elicited by some of the gathered males in reaction to their all-female group. Sakura heard Tenten hiss through her teeth in response behind her right shoulder. She was sure the weapon's specialist was itching for some of her knives. Unfortunately they had all been taken away.

Ino, behind her to the left, was unusually quiet. This made Sakura suspect she was up to something. The last thing she needed was for the blond to act impulsively, something she was infamous for. One inappropriate peep out of her and the pink haired girl knew their heads would end up rolling. She turned her face to pin her with a warning look.

'Leave the talking to me.'

To her relief, Ino bit her bottom lip but nodded slightly.

Their guarded escort stopped when they were a few feet before the throne. Pushing them forward brusquely, they closed ranks behind the three women, looking rather threatening. Sakura was sure they were harbouring desires to wring their necks for the sound trashing some of them had received when they'd tried to capture them.

Her lips twisted up into a wry smile. Much good it had done them. They had been caught by surprise; in the end, there just had been too many assailants. She guessed they were lucky they hadn't been killed on the spot. This clan was notorious for being intolerant to trespassers. No one was allowed on their territory unless they were specifically invited.

Now, the three women were at the mercy of the Fates.

The sound of a door opening to the left was followed by the noise of shuffling feet. Sakura looked up to see another group of warriors, five of them, coming decidedly their way. By looking at them she could tell they were captains of some sort. They held themselves differently from the brutish rabble gathered round the rest of the room. In perfect order, they arranged themselves round the throne: three of them standing on the same level as the prisoners while two stood on the platform, each on one side of the decorated chair.

It was one of these last two who pinned Sakura with a dark, deadly glare.

And for the life of her, she couldn't pry her eyes away.

The piercing shade of jade of his irises was unreal. It was impossible for someone to naturally possess such an eye colour. They were the exact same hue of an emerald sea under the scalding sun of midday, transparent enough for you to see the sand at the bottom.

But there was nothing transparent about this man's gaze. It was impossible to see anything beyond the lethal intent emanating from him. He was as harsh as the sandstorms of the region and just as fatal. The crimson red of his hair and of the tattoo on his forehead she associated immediately with blood. There was absolutely no softness about him. The cruelty staring back at Sakura made her shiver.

She didn't give him the pleasure of seeing her tremble, however. Her exterior facade remained the same as she tore her eyes away and proceeded to survey his clothing as well as that of the men who had entered with him.

They wore more or less the same colours: dark magenta and earth brown. She guessed the hues reflected their status as military leaders. They wore a type of gi of varying sleeve length along with zubon trousers or hakamas. Sakura noted the redheaded man was dressed in a sleeveless gi, which made the muscles on his crossed arms all the more evident and reinforced the aura of strength surrounding him. She found herself wondering how many necks he had wrung with his bare hands.

Sakura turned her eyes to the man standing on the other side of the throne, wondering if he shared the same rank as the redhead. His face was covered in deep purple tattoos and she wondered if it was the clan's tradition for military leaders to mark their faces. This other man, even though he did look tough and very menacing, didn't seem to emanate the level of cruelty as his counterpart. Somehow, the pink haired girl thought he would be willing to dialogue first before making any judgments.

She almost snorted at the absurdity of her train of thought. Here she was, making wild guesses over the character of people who would most likely have her liver for dinner if they were given the chance. Instead of harbouring illusions, she should be thinking of what the hell she was going to say when the moment came to state their defence.

If these intimidating men were the captains, Sakura could only quail at the thought of what their chieftain would be like.

She heard Tenten shift to her right and looked up to see her scowling. Her gaze was directed towards one of the men who had positioned themselves in front of the platform. He had eyes of the palest silver, almost white.

'Byakugan,' Sakura thought immediately but refrained from showing any outward reaction.

The man's long dark hair was held back by a loose ponytail at his neck. The menacing glower he was directing towards her friend would've made a weaker woman crumble. But Tenten wasn't one to cave under intimidation... quite the opposite. Sakura could only hope she didn't lunge at the silver eyed man and get them killed before they were given the chance to explain the situation.

Closing her emerald eyes for a moment, she sent out a prayer to whatever deity was listening at the moment.

When she opened them once more, she found the redheaded man hadn't taken his eyes off her. He was staring at her as intently as ever and all she could do was glare back.

If he thought she was some kind of weak, submissive female who would surrender at a man's slightest threat, he was in for a big surprise. She didn't care if he ended up snapping her neck in half, which she was sure he was very capable of; she would never give him the pleasure of witnessing her fear.

His eyes narrowed, as if he could sense her thoughts. But before Sakura could do no more than blink, the door to their left opened again and the crowd behind them bowed in respect to the newcomer.

The pink haired girl gawked. It was simply unavoidable.

The person who had just entered the room was none other than a woman. Dressed in a deep blue yukata and wearing a simple headdress of leather adorned with a single silver feather and an aquamarine jewel. There was no doubt this was the Chieftain.

Recovering her senses quickly, Sakura bowed from the waist, just like everyone else was doing. Her companions caught on quickly and did the same, paying their respects to the leader. The tall woman made her way gracefully towards the elevated throne and took her seat.

Straightening up, the pink haired girl surveyed her and realized this woman was a seasoned warrior. Her hair was a sandy blond colour and the teal of her eyes spoke of a leader with experience. The harshness of her face was the same as that of her people, the legacy of living in such an austere territory.

Once more, she realized it was going to be very difficult to get out of the predicament they were in.

The room had gone suddenly quiet and Sakura could feel the weight of the redheaded man's glare more clearly. She refused to look at him though, giving all the attention to the Chieftain now seated upon the throne.

The woman lifted her arm and bade one of the men who had captured them to step forward.

"Kiba, report," she said in a deep voice.

"Chieftain Temari," the man replied, coming to stand before his leader. "We have brought you the trespassers we found on the northern border. We came upon them during the night as they tried to sneak into our territory."

"Spies, spies!" yelled the crowd behind them at the man's words.

Sakura could almost hear Ino grinding her teeth. Luckily, her friend stayed silent.

The man continued speaking. "They resisted but they presented no real challenge. We bring you their weapons." With that, he bade another of the men to come forward. The man rolled out a long cloth containing Tenten's weapons on the floor before the Chieftain. Spread out like this, it did look like the arsenal of a small army.

Tenten hissed. She couldn't tolerate her precious weapon being touched by anyone... much less her captors.

Sakura pinned her with a glare before she took any action.

"What more evidence do you need?" someone in the crowd exclaimed. "They came here planning an attack!"

There were shouts of agreement all around and Sakura repeated the prayer she had said earlier.

Not only had they stepped into the territory of one of the most dangerous clans but they had trespassed into their land while said clan was clearly having a feud with their neighbouring tribe.

Fate really was a fickle miss.

The Chieftain raised her hand, silencing the crowd. She surveyed the gathered weapons for a moment then raised her gaze towards the three captured women.

"You will have only one chance to speak. Please make good use of it," she said.

The time was upon them. It was now or never.

Sakura stepped forward, trying to emanate an air of confidence she wasn't truly feeling.

"Chieftain, I'm afraid there has been a great mistake. We are not spies. We are on a mission to the nearby Forest Kingdom on your north-east border. We have been summoned by Uzumaki-sama himself. I am a medic and I have been called to treat a strange illness his wife has been afflicted with."

As she said those last words, Sakura saw the silver eyed man who'd been glaring at Tenten turn to look at her. But she refused to lose focus.

"I have Uzumaki-sama's letter of summons in my backpack. We were on our way to his kingdom when a sandstorm struck our camp last night and we were forced to seek shelter. Unfortunately, we got lost among the wind and sand and stumbled into your territory quite unintentionally."

Chieftain Temari looked at her silently for a moment. "If you're a group of medics, as you claim, why would you bring such a cache of weapons with you?"

Sakura knew the question was inevitable. "I'm afraid these weapons aren't _ours_. They belong solely to my friend here," she answered, gesturing towards Tenten. "She is a Master of the ancient Buki arts."

There was surprised murmur around the crowd at this statement. Sakura saw her friend lift her chin proudly and nod in acknowledgment at her words.

"We are not a group of medics," the pink haired girl went on to clarify. "I am the only medic in our small band. These two women are my travelling companions. Considering the dangers of the road, having an expert in the Buki arts with you seems a prudent way to travel."

This elicited a small smile from the Chieftain but her questioning was only beginning. "You're the medic, you say?" she asked. "I heard from one of my messengers that you knocked out one of my most stout warriors with a single blow. Isn't that right, Chouji?"

A large bulky man, one of their captors, stepped forward somewhat unsteadily. He had been the only one stupid enough to try and go up against Sakura one on one. Despite his large size, it hadn't boded well for him. She'd delivered a devastating punch to the right side of his skull. It wasn't enough to kill him, that hadn't been her intent, but it was enough to douse his lights for a couple of hours. His comrades had been forced to carry the heavy man between them as they made their way back towards the village.

"Yes, Chieftain," he answered, trying to look as dignified as possible. "She blew me out like a candle, she did."

Temari turned to look at Sakura with a questioning look.

The pink haired simply shrugged. "I said I was a medic, I didn't say I was defenceless."

This answer brought a chuckle from the tattooed face man standing to the Chieftain's right.

Sitting on her throne, she looked up at him with a small smile on her face. Turning back to Sakura she said, "I would see this letter of yours."

"It's in my pack," the pink haired woman replied.

"Bring her things," the Chieftain ordered.

There was movement behind them and the medic's backpack materialised at her feet. One of their guards approached and knelt down to rummage through it.

"She uses a special technique, charging her fists with chakra," Kiba said, stepping forward while the letter was found. "We saw her blow a rock the size of a house to pieces when she missed one of her attacks."

"Infused chakra attacks?" the Chieftain asked, as if the technique seemed familiar. After a few thoughtful seconds, she turned back to Sakura. "What is your name?"

"Haruno Sakura, Chieftain," she replied, bowing slightly.

Temari erupted into a fit of loud laughter. "I should've known!" she exclaimed, slapping the arm of her chair. "Your pink hair should've giving it away from the very beginning. So you're the apprentice of the Ageless... both your reputations precede you."

Sakura nodded at the compliment. "I didn't know you were acquainted with Tsunade-shishou."

"We met once but it was a very long time ago," the Chieftain said, glancing briefly at the redhead beside her. He looked down at her for a moment but remained silent. "I was very young back then, I'm not sure she'll remember me. However, I'm sure she'll look exactly the same as she did back then."

The pink haired girl nodded but didn't offer anything more. Her master's techniques were a secret she intended to take to the grave.

"I found it!" the man looking through her knapsack exclaimed. He pulled out a scroll tied with a white ribbon and took it to his leader.

Temari pulled the tie and spread the paper on her knees, reading quickly.

Sakura thought it was finally the moment to show her trump card.

"I understand you have a solid alliance with the Forest Kingdom. If anything were to happen to us, Uzumaki-sama would be very displeased."

The Chieftain turned to look at her but it was the redheaded man who spoke.

"I do not think an alliance such as ours would be disrupted over a mere medic, despite her alleged reputation," he said in a cold derisive tone.

Sakura couldn't help but shiver at the cruel sound of his deep voice. If she'd had any doubts of his mercilessness before, they were immediately quelled after hearing him speak.

She lifted her chin and looked directly at him. "I have been summoned by Uzumaki-sama not because of my reputation as a medic. I was called to his kingdom because he will not tolerate to have a medic he doesn't trust near his pregnant wife."

"You claim the Lord of the Forest's trust?" the redhead asked, clearly unconvinced.

"Yes I do," Sakura stated without hesitation. "I have known him since childhood... since before he became who he is today."

Jade clashed with emerald, neither backing down.

"Gaara," the Chieftain said in a warning tone. "She is who she says she is. This missive is authentic. This is Naruto's signature." Lifting the letter up to him, the redhead snatched it out of her hand.

Turning back to the captured women, she smiled. "I apologize for the treatment but I'm afraid it couldn't be helped. We are currently at war with one of our neighbouring tribes and must make to no exceptions for anyone caught trespassing."

"We understand," Sakura replied, breathing easily for the first time.

"Let these women go!" the Chieftain exclaimed.

At the order, the men behind them stepped forward. The ties around their hands were cut loose and their belongings returned to them.

"May I have the names of your companions?" Temari asked.

"This is Yamanaka Ino," Sakura answered, gesturing towards her left. "And the Master of the Buki arts is Tenten."

Both women inclined their heads in respect towards the Chieftain.

"Please receive my welcome! And all of those present listen," Temari shouted out to the gathering. "These women have been elevated to the status of guests. They will receive the best of our hospitality for the length of their stay."

"The length of our stay?" Ino blurted out. She simply wasn't able to keep quiet anymore. "I thought we'd be leaving immediately!" Throwing an exasperating glance at Sakura, she was on the verge of throttling the next person who came within reach.

Temari proceeded to explain. "Due to the current circumstance, you will have to stay in our village for the time being. Like I said, we are at war with an enemy tribe. It is not safe for you to travel. You will be able to leave as soon as things calm down somewhat."

"But we were travelling just fine!" Ino exclaimed.

"That was before you came into our territory," the tattooed man next to the Chieftain explained patiently. "Now that you have come into our lands, it makes you fair game for the enemy."

"Kankurou's right," Temari replied, nodding up at him. "You will inevitably be attacked and considering your mission, I cannot let you come to harm. It is the very least I can do for the Lord of the Forest."

"I don't give a- OUCH!" Ino started to say, only to be kicked on the shin by Sakura in mid-sentence.

"We gratefully accept your hospitality, Chieftain," she said. "If there's anything we can help with during our visit, please do not hesitate to let us know."

"Your skills may come in handy at some point," Temari admitted. "But for the time being, you may rest. You have travelled far from South City to get here. I will, however, take you at your word if your assistance becomes necessary."

All three women, Ino a tad reluctantly, bowed in acquiescence.

"Now," the Chieftain continued to say, "since you are my personal guests, you will be given a personal escort."

Sakura was abruptly overcome by a foreboding feeling.

"You will be strictly under their supervision when it comes to your safety. I advice you listen to their counsel and follow their orders when it is needed."

The sense of apprehension came climbing up for the soles of her feet and up her spine.

"They, in turn, will make sure you are provided with everything you need."

The colour was draining from her face. She simply knew exactly what would happen next.

"Gaara," Chieftain Temari said, gesturing up to him. "Haruno Sakura comes as first priority for she is the medic who is to attend Hinata-sama. Please take good care of her."

And there was simply no way Sakura could say no. Not without insulting the whole clan.

She was on the verge of asking if she could go with the man named Kankurou instead but the glare the redhead sent her way brought the idea to an abrupt end.

"Yes, Chieftain," he answered reluctantly, emanating waves of barely controlled violence.

At least he wasn't happy with the arrangements either! Still, Sakura was sure she would be the one to suffer the most. It was a small comfort but being offered the protection of the rank of guest might keep her safe from him.

"Shino," the Chieftain said, speaking to one of the men standing in front the platform. "Please take care of Yamanaka-san."

The man wore dark glasses a strange hood over his head. He nodded towards Ino and the blond had no choice but to pick up her things and go stand by his side.

"And finally Neji," Temari said to the silver eyed man with a sly smile. "You will have the duty to take care of the Buki Master."

Sakura almost snorted. Was it her or had the Chieftain picked up on the antagonizing emotions swirling between her guests and her men and had acted on purpose?

She turned her emerald eyes up the leader but found nothing suspicious in her welcoming smile.

"Fine," Neji answered with a curt nod. "You may come with me."

Tenten glared at him.

"Not before getting my weapons back I won't!"

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Read and review, guys!


	2. Shared Cage

**A/N:** Alright, here's the second instalment to this newest creation of mine.

I want to thank all of you for your reviews. They really motivate me to keep going.

Hopefully things will be made a bit clearer with this chapter. Hope you like it!

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**CHAPTER II – SHARED CAGE**

*****  
**

Nothing, absolutely nothing, could have prepared her for this.

She was expecting barking orders, more jade eyed glares, threats of violence if she didn't obey... she could cope with those. She could also cope with the idea of him eventually attacking her in some sort of way; she was a strong girl, she could defend herself.

But when the redheaded man proceeded to inform her she would be sleeping in _his_ hut, it was simply too much to take.

"You're jesting, right?" she'd replied, refusing to set her bag down on the floor.

He'd simply intensified his already penetrating glower.

It wouldn't be so bad if the small wooden house had had separate rooms. Hell, she wouldn't have complained if he'd make her sleep on the terrace. But the hut comprised a single large room serving as kitchen to the right, bedroom at the back and receiving area at the front all in one. Sakura was aware the clans in the region preferred to live in rustic, simple ways but it didn't mean she had to like it. As things stood, she would have to sleep mere inches away from one of the most threatening men she had ever met.

"I will have a futon brought over for you," he was saying. "There's food on the shelves but I'm sure my sister's servants will provide your meals."

"Your sister?" Sakura asked.

"The Chieftain," he replied, sneering at her.

The pink haired girl gaped like a fish out of water for a few seconds. He was the Chieftain's brother! This meant he was actually honouring her beyond belief by letting her stay in his very own home. She recalled the Chieftain's words about her taking first priority because she was a medic and then proceeding to place her under the control of the redhead. This meant she was receiving the best protection she would get while under their hospitality. From their point of view, it was a singular honour.

If she threw a tantrum over their sleeping arrangements, she would add insult to injury and would most likely get kicked out to fend for herself in enemy territory.

The redheaded man's sneer intensified, as if following her train of thought. It seemed he delighted in provoking discomfort in others.

But Sakura would not be bested by him. The Chieftain's brother or not he was a simple thug, used to bullying his way around others. She'd known enough bullies in her life; she'd just have to deal with him accordingly.

And try the best she could to be civil.

She cleared her throat. "Thank you for your hospitality, errr, Gaara was it?"

"That's Gaara-san or Captain Gaara to you," he replied coldly.

Sakura simply nodded, swallowing her temper.

"The washroom's at the back of the hut," the redhead kept saying. "You'll have to pump your own water to fill the tub."

She'd known hot water had been too much to ask for from the very beginning.

"I have duties to attend to," he finished dismissively. "If you wish someone to show you around, I suggest you find your companions. I'm sure one of their escorts will be more than happy to include you."

With that, he turned round and went out, shutting the sliding door behind him.

Sakura was tempted to bring down his entire house with a single punch but decided against it. She would just have to swallow her ire. If this was the kind of protection he was going to offer, why bother? But she knew better than to complain. She was at the mercy of the clan, after all.

The fact that they had just made each other's acquaintance and he was already driving her up the wall didn't bode well. It simply wouldn't do.

The best course to follow was to ignore him and stay out of his way as much as possible. Of course, living under the same roof and in close quarters with him wasn't going to make this easy.

Letting out a deep calming breath, she proceeded to arrange her things in one corner of the room, completely on the opposite side of where the redhead's futon was folded. She rummaged through her bag and took out a clean set of clothes along with her bath supplies. It may be with cold water but she'd been dying to take a decent bath for days.

They'd been travelling non-stop and hadn't had the chance to wash other than what a random stream could offer. She wasn't going to look the gift horse in the mouth; they'd landed in this predicament and she'd just have to make the best of it.

With this thought in mind, she gathered her things and made her way outside towards the back of the hut.

_-XXXXXXXXXX-_

Clean and happy, Sakura finished hanging her shirt and trousers on the washing line. She'd been glad to find a washing basin along with a bar of soap next to the washroom. It hadn't taken long to decide to wash the clothes she'd been wearing. It wasn't clear just how long they would be staying here and it never did any harm to have spare sets of clothes.

She had to admit it had surprised her a bit to find the washing basin and a washing line hanging at the back. Doing the washing was something she would've associated with the temperamental redhead who resided in the house. He'd mentioned his sister's servants... maybe he had servants of his own who did the cleaning. Either that or he must have a wife.

Sakura found herself laughing out loud at this absurd idea.

No sane woman would ever agree to tie the knot with such a man, she was sure of it. Just imagining what it would be like to put up with him on a daily basis made Sakura's stomach churn with nausea. Her predicament wasn't that far away, however. She _would_ have to deal with him every day. But at least for her, the arrangement was temporary.

Sighing at what the following days would likely bring, she decided it was time she went out to look for her companions. Like it or not, she would take Gaara's advice and try to find someone to show her around. She wouldn't be able to stay cooped up in the hut, she'd go crazy after the first hour. It had always been her prerogative to be useful in some way; this time was no exception.

She found Tenten with the so-called Neji ten minutes later. It had taken a bit of asking to find them but now that they were guests, the tough villagers acted friendly enough. The silver eyed man was showing her friend around and she didn't have any qualms with barging in and joining them.

Neji simply nodded at her presence, not asking any questions. He proceeded to continue with his explanations of the lay of the land.

"The village extends just beyond that tall crag," he said, pointing at a protruding rock some distance away. "This small valley we are in is made up of the most fertile land in the region. We harvest as much as we can. It isn't much but we manage to keep going."

"I assume you have to import most of the food," Tenten commented conversationally.

Sakura eyed her suspiciously. Since when had she made her peace with the silver eyed man? They'd been glaring daggers at each other a couple of hours before. While they'd had breakfast with the Chieftain before being escorted out, Tenten had decidedly avoided speaking to the man.

What the hell had she missed? She made a point to ask later.

"Yes, the allegiance with the Forest Kingdom is important to us precisely because of that," Neji was saying. "Uzumaki-sama sends us grain and other produce while we send him cattle. Our grazing lands to the west are some of the best in the area."

"I see," Tenten said. "Are those the lands you mentioned were in danger?"

The silver eyed man breathed out heavily. "Yes. We are at war with the neighbouring clan because they are trying to usurp some of our land. They killed a group of herders and stole our cattle just a few days ago. Chieftain Temari would not accept the insult. Things escalated to another level when other herders returned to the place with more cattle only to find enemy soldiers settled on the land. It was inevitable for us to defend what rightfully belongs to us."

Both women nodded in agreement.

"And have you managed to drive them off?" Sakura asked as they walked among the wooden houses of the village.

"Not entirely, no," Neji replied. "We managed to repel the initial war bands but the opposing clan is intent on throwing its whole army at us."

"Which only leads to more bloodshed," the pink haired girl remarked with a resigned tone.

The silver eyed man nodded. "We try to minimize the casualties as much as we can by sending out our most powerful warriors but deaths are inevitable. In terms of skill, our fighters have the advantage. However, the opposing clan is among the most numerous. No matter how much we hold them back, they just keep coming."

"Well, we can lend you our strength if you need it," Tenten commented, raising her fist. "We aren't many but we're skilled in our own right. Ne, Sakura-chan?

Sakura smiled. "Indeed we are. But I guess it depends on your engaging strategy. I assume you have platoons of warriors who work well together going after the enemy."

"Exactly so," Neji replied. "Most of our fighters have trained together since they were young. They know each other's strengths and weaknesses. Right now, my own squad is resting while Gaara has just stepped out with his."

Just the name of the redheaded man made Sakura grind her teeth in remembered irritation. But she fought her anger down. Here was a chance to learn more about her hostile host.

"I assume the ones who entered before the Chieftain at our, err... reception this morning are the Captains?" she asked.

"Yes we are. We were chosen because of our skill in battle as well as for our ability to lead," Neji said. "There are seven of us altogether with a team of fifteen individuals under our command. The missing two were out doing their rounds earlier today and have recently returned."

"Captain Gaara may no doubt show great prowess in combat but does he have capacity to lead?" Sakura asked without bothering to hide her incredulity.

Surprisingly, this elicited a laugh from the silver eyed Captain. "I agree with you there," he replied at last. "He isn't exactly a 'people person', as you might say, but he does have great capacity to inspire his squad. You will find they are steadfastly loyal to him."

Sakura eyed him, clearly unconvinced.

Neji's smile turned rueful. "You will find that the history surrounding the Chieftain's family is rather tragic. Therefore, they hold a special place in the villagers' hearts."

The pink haired girl was taken slightly aback by such an admission. Yet she was too polite to press the issue. She was an outsider, after all.

"Is the tattooed man... Kankurou, right? Is he also the Chieftain's brother?" she asked, changing the topic slightly.

"Yes he is," the silver eyed man replied. "He is the middle child of the family. Temari-sama is the eldest and passed the inheritance trials when their father passed away. Gaara is the youngest sibling."

'The youngest and the most spoiled, no doubt!' Sakura thought vehemently. 'It's likely everyone around allowed him to do whatever he pleased as a child and he grew up incorrigible.'

"Inheritance trials?" Tenten asked curiously.

"Each successor to the position of Chieftain needs to go through a series of trials before being accepted as leader by the Elders. They usually last several days and are comprised of all kinds of tests. They examine your abilities not only as a warrior but as a prudent leader as well and test your skill when it comes to making the right decisions."

The Buki Master nodded. "And how long has Temari-sama been Chieftain?"

"She's been leading us for the past six years," Neji replied. "Things were a lot more turbulent when her father was Chieftain but I'm afraid that's a story I will have to tell you at some other time. I fear this is where I leave you for I have duties of my own to fulfil."

"Please, do not detain yourself on our behalf," Tenten said, slightly embarrassed. "You've already shown me enough. I'll be able to guide Sakura around now."

"It was my pleasure," the silver eyed Captain replied, bowing slightly. "Remember, you cannot step out of the village limits and a curfew has been set. I know it will make you feel caged but there's not helping it. It's for your own protection. If you need anything, please do not hesitate to visit the Chieftain's lodgings; there will be someone there to help you. I will see you ladies later then."

With that, he turned round and headed down a path leading back to the central building.

Sakura waved after him for a moment before pinning her friend with a very pointed look.

"And since when did you get so friendly with your Captain?" she asked.

Tenten had the decency to blush slightly. "Well, he did apologize for his earlier behaviour," she said.

"He what?!" Sakura exclaimed in surprise.

"Yes well, he said he was sorry for his conduct while we were being, err... interviewed. He thought we really were spies. His demeanour changed entirely when we were finally alone and guess what? He asked me about Hinata-sama! It seems he's a distant cousin of hers and has been worried about her health as well. He thanked me for our efforts on our mission and hoped we would be able to leave soon so you could examine her."

"Yeah, I kind of picked up on the resemblance when I first saw him. Byakugan isn't exactly a common bloodline technique is it?" the pink haired girl replied. But after a few moments of walking, she couldn't suppress a pout. "This is so unfair! Why did you have to get the polite one while I'm stuck with the ogre who lives under the bridge?"

Tenten laughed but sobered at the harassed look on her friend's face. "Is he really so bad?"

"You have no idea," Sakura answered, a haunted look in her eyes.

"Tell me all about, then" she said, grabbing her by the arm. "But we really should go look for Ino and see how she's doing."

_-XXXXXXXXXX-_

The three of them spent the afternoon in companionship with some of the villagers, making themselves useful as best they could. This wasn't exactly easy, however, for the townspeople had their chores well in hand and the girls felt they were intruding more often than not. Plenty of time was available for them to plan their next action but due to their confinement, there was nothing to do but wait.

Sakura felt slightly better after listening to Ino complain about her own situation. Having insects and all kinds of bugs crawling all over the place wasn't exactly what one would call pleasant. The blond had been forced to make an ultimatum and threaten Captain Shino so he would make his insects stay away from her. She had set territorial boundaries inside his hut and vehemently made it clear no bugs were welcome. The man had looked slightly surprised at her reaction but had complied.

Still, the creepy-crawlies were always around and could come out of nowhere. Ino didn't even want to think what would happen if bugs made an appearance while she was in the washroom. Both her friends were sympathetic and didn't envy her position. Even so, Sakura was relieved to find she wasn't the only one finding their stay in the village troublesome.

They were called to dinner by a young man who summoned them to the Chieftain's quarters. Temari welcomed them to her table and tried to make light conversation but the lines of worry on her face were evident. Sakura assured her they didn't need any kind of social entertaining and asked to discuss the clan's situation openly; they might be able to help. In the end, they discovered the Chieftain was overly worried because of the losses they were suffering in livestock. If the number of cattle diminished anymore, they wouldn't have enough to trade with the Forest Kingdom.

Even though Sakura knew Naruto would never allow for an ally to suffer without giving some kind of aid in return, she was also aware it was a matter of honour for the clan. They would trade fairly or would have no trade at all. The pink haired girl made a note to speak to Naruto on this matter when she finally met him; she was sure he'd be able to come up with a way for the clan to accept his produce without damaging their sensibilities.

Night had fallen by the time she made her way back to the ogre's hut. She felt reluctant, to say the least. But Temari had bid her to have patience with her little brother; she had all but confessed she thought Gaara liked Sakura.

"From the way he was looking at you, I thought it was a good idea to have you stay with him," the Chieftain had said with a genuine smile. "He doesn't take much interest in people, you know, especially not when it comes to strangers."

'From the way he was looking at me, you would've thought he wanted to make a blood sacrifice out of me!' Sakura had thought desperately. 'If this is the way he looks at people he likes, I wonder what his enemies have to go through!'

From the way Temari had phrased it, she had been given to her brother as a kind of socialising exercise. It was the last thing she needed. Trying to integrate a veritable sociopath into normal society was simply not high on her lists of things she wanted to do. She more or less communicated the sentiment to the Chieftain.

She had only laughed. "I know he's difficult," she'd said, "but please try to bear with him. You'll find he's not half so bad once you look beyond the rough exterior."

Only a sister would be able to have such a high opinion when it came to the redhead. It did make Sakura pause, though. Thus, she did promise she would be as tolerant as she could.

Sliding open the door to the hut, she found it surprisingly empty. She'd thought Gaara would've been back by now. He'd been out since the morning and would most like have been relieved by another platoon by now. Shrugging, she went inside and unfolded the futon that had been left for her. She arranged it as far away as possible from the redhead's and proceeded to get ready for bed.

After a few minutes, she heard sounds behind the house and recognised the sound of the washroom pump. So he was outside taking a bath. Good. The last thing she needed was for him to go to bed smelling like the sweat that had clung to him all day after being on patrol with his squad.

Sitting on her futon, she proceeded to go over her medic supplies. She did so often, making sure she had enough herbs and concoctions for whatever unexpected illnesses she might have to treat in the future. It was a good idea to replenish her stash while she was at the village. She'd made a note of where the healer's hut was located and planned to search out the woman tomorrow morning. It was possible they might be able to trade remedies; exchanging knowledge with the local medicine-woman or man was something she'd always enjoyed.

She was holding up a vial containing the antidote of a rather poisonous snake common around these parts when the door of the hut slammed open.

Luckily, she was sitting on the futon and the vial landed on her blanket when she let it go.

The sight before was simply too much for her sensibilities.

There stood Gaara in the doorway, almost totally naked except for a very small towel tied at the waist. From the way it was barely clinging to his frame, it was clear it would most likely fall at the slightest movement. He was still partially wet from his bath and his hair was dripping water.

After a couple of seconds of inane incredulity, Sakura shrieked...and proceeded to hide her face in her hands.

"What do you think you're doing?!" she shouted.

The redhead blinked at her. "What do you mean what am I doing?" he asked disgustedly. "Just what the hell is wrong with you, woman?"

"You're _naked_!" she exclaimed with all the dignity she could muster.

"I am _not_," he bellowed back. "For your information, I had the decency to wrap this silly thing around me because you were here."

"Decency?" Sakura screamed back. "You call _that_ decency?"

"Listen, woman," Gaara replied with a jeering tone. It was clear he was enjoying this little episode and the anxiety it was provoking her. "It's not my fault if you've never seen what a man's body looks like."

"Never seen... never seen..." Sakura repeated the words as if she couldn't quite believe them. Her anger rose to the surface with a vengeance. Behind her eyelids, all she could see was red. "Listen here you arrogant bastard! I am a qualified medic! I've seen more men naked than you could count in a lifetime!"

She dropped her hands from her face and shook them at him, all the time keeping her eyes tightly shut.

"Sure you have," he replied mockingly. "And all of them were corpses you dissected during your training years."

"You insufferable jerk!" she yelled back. "I've had my share of hot, living men!"

"But clearly you've never seen a specimen of my calibre," he retorted. "Or else you wouldn't be behaving like an airheaded schoolgirl." As he spoke, he came into the house and shut the door behind him.

Sakura was about to have an apoplexy. The arrogance of the man! How dare he? He was truly unbelievable. She tried to come up with a retort but the sheer anger she was experiencing prevented her from finding any suitable words. In the end, she sucked in a huge breath between her teeth and decided to keep quiet.

She could hear him rummaging through the small closet on the other side of the room, which was where she assumed he kept his clothes. Blindly, she stretched out her hand and searched for the vial she had dropped. Once she found it, she turned completely around and faced the wall. Only then did she dare open her eyes.

Proceeding to ignore him, she reached out for her medic supplies and continued with the task she'd been intent upon before the stupid oaf had come blundering in. Did he even know who he was dealing with here? She had the knowledge to poison him in his sleep and make it look like an accident. The arrogant son of a-

"There!" he exclaimed, interrupting her thoughts. "Is this decent enough for your virgin eyes?"

She half turned to find him dressed solely in a hakama. She agreed it was a great improvement but the slits on the sides were still pretty indecent by her standards. Was this how you were supposed to treat a guest of the opposite sex while they were staying at your house? She wondered how he would like it if she did the same thing to him.

Then again, if she showed up half naked while he was in the room, she was sure his reaction would have been completely the opposite.

She was sharing a roof with a neanderthal!

Turning her head and ignoring him, she tried as best as she could to assuage her irritation by concentrating on her medical things. It was tough going and didn't exactly help. Luckily, he was more than happy to ignore her and proceeded to look through the shelves in the kitchen part of the room. He picked out some things and took down a wok before striking up the fire. After a few efficient movements, he was cooking himself dinner and the smell of food permeated all around the small hut.

At least one mystery was solved. He really did do the housework.

For a very brief moment, Sakura felt slightly sorry for him. Having been out all day defending his clan's territory, fighting to the death while encountering enemies and he still had to come home to cook dinner for himself after the long day. The thought lasted a whole two seconds before she stomped it entirely out of existence. He more than deserved his miserable life!

With violent motions, she packed her medical supplies and crawled into her futon, facing the wall. Sleep would surely be a long time coming with the irritation she felt but the last thing she wanted was to have another argument. It would inevitably happen if she didn't pretend to be asleep. You simply couldn't have a decent conversation with this man; he only quarrelled!

Sakura heard him rummage around a bit more, presumably putting away his cooking utensils and eating his meal. He doused the lights eventually and lay down on his futon. The sounds of his even breathing finally reached her and she realized he had fallen asleep almost immediately, testament to how tired he was.

She turned on her back and breathed out heavily. The noises of the quiet night around her finally managed to calm down her ire enough for her to look at the situation rationally. Sure, she had behaved like a silly schoolgirl but the least he could've done was warn her! She was a _guest_ in his house, the least he could give her was a little respect. Making a promise she would behave like the mature woman she was next time, she turned on her side once again and tried to go to sleep.

And desperately tried to ignore the fact that, at least in one aspect, the redhead had been right.

It was true she had _never_ seen a specimen of his muscular calibre.

* * *

Thus, their roommate relationship begins. LOL. xD

Don't forget to leave me your comments, guys. I truly appreciate them.


	3. Resigned Confinement

**A/N: **I'm glad I've been able to keep up with my weekly updates. And I'm also glad you guys have been enjoying this fic.

I have to admit I find writing these exchanges between neanderthal Gaara and irked Sakura quiet gratifying. Hope you do so too.

* * *

**CHAPTER III – RESIGNED CONFINEMENT**

***

The next morning, Ino simply couldn't help but laugh out loud when the pink haired girl related the events of the previous nights.

"It's no laughing matter!" Sakura exclaimed, rolling the herbs she was busy with into thin sheets of paper.

It took several moments before her friend was able to sober up enough to speak. "It could be considered sexual harassment," she finally said.

"Of course it could be!" Sakura replied incensed. "The least he could've done was give me clear warning!"

"Well, at least you now know of his proclivities. You can be prepared next time."

The pink haired humphed in response and nodded vigorously.

Ino, however, looked at her friend with a mischievous glint in her eye; she knew very well Sakura wasn't telling her something. She could easily guess what it was. "You have to admit this clan is kind of boorish is certain aspects," she said casually. "It's like they got stuck in a period of time and never got out of it. But I guess its part of their tradition. They've followed the warrior code of life through many generations. All in all, you have to confess, their way of doing things does produce some pretty fine male specimens."

She nodded towards the training ground as if to emphasize her point.

They were sitting on the terrace of the Healer's hut, overlooking an expanse of flat land. This was where a battle training session was taking place at the very moment. Tenten, being the enthusiast she was, was happily participating.

Sakura turned to see her friend surrounded by lean muscular males glimmering with sweat. Even from this distance, she could tell they had dedicated their lives to the art of combat. Since the philosophy of the clan considered that a warrior's main weapon was his own body, it was pretty evident they had concentrated on honing said weapon to perfection.

Just one look at Captain Neji's extraordinary physique was enough to confirm the dedication of the clan's fighters to their art.

"Stuck in a primeval time frame, indeed," Sakura murmured, breathing out deeply.

She forced herself to tear her eyes away before she said something improper. Not that Ino would've minded. She'd been ogling at the trainees all morning. Her reaction was only natural, though. It wasn't everyday one came upon such a spectacle. .

What irked Sakura somewhat was the fact that the women of the village didn't seem to be affected in the least. There were several females among the warriors and they weren't in the least way perturbed by the displays of their male counterparts. If this kind of insensibility was attainable, Sakura prayed she would be able to achieve it very soon. She didn't know how much longer she'd be able to survive in place where men walked around revealing large portions of sun-kissed skin while emanating high levels of testosterone all the time.

She even had to sleep inches away from one of said men.

Thankfully, she'd woken up to find the infuriating redhead had already departed for his daily duties. She didn't think she would've been able to cope with his derision first thing in the morning.

Breathing out heavily, Sakura clung to the hope of this whole clan war to be resolved soon. The sooner they were on their way, the better for everyone.

_-XXXXXXXXXX-_

As the days passed, things fell into a sort of routine. Sakura would wake up to find Gaara gone; she'd head to have breakfast over to Temari's chambers or if the Chieftain wasn't present, someone would leave a tray with her food by the door of the redhead's hut. Afterwards, she'd join Tenten or Ino, if they were free and weren't trying to make themselves useful with some kind of chore. If she couldn't find either of them, she would head over to the Healers hut to help out with whatever she could. The old woman welcomed her happily and chatted away the hours when there weren't any patients in need of her attention. Due to her old age, she was not enlisted to help in the battles the clan was currently waging and was in charge of the inhabitants of the main village. She would usually share her midday meal with Sakura and tell her anecdotes of the illnesses she'd had to face during her long years of experience.

Dinner was left at the door as well if Temari didn't summon them. It was usually a quiet affair and she would sit outside on the small terrace of the hut, listening to the sounds of night time gathering all around. It was easily her favourite time of the day; the last peaceful moments she could enjoy before irritation and frustration descended upon her in the form of a redheaded troll.

His tendency to show up in his unmentionables after taking a bath hadn't diminished but Sakura had learned to put up with it. Her miraculous ability to mature overnight, as he'd phrased it, had provoked yet another argument. It ended with the almost insuppressible desire to pour some cyanide in his tea cup while his back was turned.

Nonetheless, she was able to glean some information concerning the activities of his squad between quarrels. Her attempts to make conversation were usually snipped at the bud by a snappish remark or by an insult towards her person but she persevered. It was terribly evident he did it only to rile her up on purpose. Usually, after a while of infuriated silence on her part, he'd answer her questions in a more or less polite way.

Normal standards of politeness simply couldn't apply when it came to Gaara, so she had to lower them a bit to keep sane.

It was either try her luck with the sociopath or be bored to death. Due to the skirmishes taking place daily on the fringes of the territory, there was a curfew set in the village. No one was allowed to wander around after sunset for the enemy wasn't above the tactics of attacking civilians if given the opportunity. Even though it wasn't very probable they would take on the main holding of the clan directly, Chieftain Temari didn't want to take any chances. Sakura was surprised to find out it was one of the reasons Gaara came back every night.

The evening was warm and she had been sitting outside when he came in after taking his nightly bath. Grunting a greeting in typical neanderthal behaviour, he went straight into the hut after depositing the large gourd he took with him every morning against the outside wall. Sakura had speculated greatly in regards to what he carried in it but had decided against asking for the time being. It was difficult enough to garner information from him without going into the personal details of why he carried such a large vessel around. She heard him getting dressed and start cooking his meal, like he usually did. But much to her surprise, he joined her with his bowl a few moments later, taking a seat to her right. Asking for him to put on a gi, she knew, was simply useless. Thus, he sat there eating next to her wearing only a pair of black zubon trousers.

Having become an expert in the demeanour of primitive man during the past few days, Sakura knew it was up to her to strike up any kind of dialogue.

She cleared her throat.

"How far away is the border you're defending?" she asked.

"You walked across our territory to get to the village," he replied between mouthfuls. "Don't tell me you couldn't figure out how far away it is."

"For your information, we were taken captive at a completely different border," she snapped. "Besides, we came here during the night, bound and treated as prisoners. It was rather difficult to gauge distances during the experience."

"Serves you right for coming into our land," the redhead said, proceeding to gulp down half a glass of water.

She turned flaming emerald eyes towards him. "Listen, idiot! I was only asking about the distance because I wanted to know how long you have to walk every day."

Turning towards her, he pinned her with a strange look. But it was gone in a second and his lips lifted into a sneer. "I didn't know you cared so much. Have I made such a great impression on you?"

"Insufferable jerk!" Sakura exclaimed, digging her fingernails into her palms. She turned her face up towards the night sky, pleading with the deities to take her out of her misery.

Gaara chuckled darkly.

"For your information, I don't walk. I ride," he said, turning once more to his meal.

"You do?" she asked, quirking up an eyebrow. Finally, he was giving her some information. "But I've never heard you come up on a horse."

"That's because your powers of observation are completely lacking," Gaara replied.

She glared.

He ignored her and continued. "I leave my horse at the main stable of the clan, located near the village hall. You should've seen it during your days of idleness. Big wooden building, smelling of horses and full of hay?"

"I know what a stable is, you moron! Of course I've seen it," she snapped. "And for your information, my days aren't idle."

"Ah yes, I've been told you spend your time picking wildflowers, quite a fulfilling venture."

Sakura couldn't help the image of her hands wringing his neck from coming to the fore in her mind.

"They are NOT wildflowers!" she retorted. "They're _herbs_. Used for medicine and poultices. The kind brutes like you need whenever you get injured."

"Ah, I see," Gaara said, dropping his chopsticks into his empty bowl. "You dedicate your time to my benefit. Keep it up."

Sakura literally lifted her hands and pulled her short hair until it was standing on ends.

"If you showed up injured, I'd let you bleed to death!" she yelled at him.

The redhead barked out a laugh before standing up with his plate and glass in hand. He moved towards the shouji door and slid it open with his right foot.

"By the way," he said casually over his shoulder. "It usually takes me a forty-five minute ride to reach the village from our post. Half of my troop camps out during the night but I have to return with some of them. It's adamant for me to be here if something happens."

He went into the house after he finished speaking. Sakura looked up owl-eyed at the place where he had been standing. He'd just given her more information than she thought possible. Standing up quickly, she decided she shouldn't let the opportunity pass.

"Why is it adamant for you to come back?" she asked, leaning her shoulder against the door frame.

The redhead was washing his dishes and didn't look up when he spoke. "Because I've been charged by the Chieftain to make sure a silly pink haired woman doesn't go blundering about where she's not supposed to."

Sakura stomped her foot in irritation. "Asshole!"

Gaara couldn't help sniggering derisive amusement.

Emerald flames glared at him as his jade eyes lifted to look at her. He graced her again with that mocking grin she had already learned to despise.

"If you must know," he said, putting his bowl to the side so it would dry, "I come back because I'm one of the best warriors in the clan. If I'm here, more men can be out on night watch protecting the border."

"How typically arrogant of you," Sakura scoffed. "Thinking you can take on the enemy by yourself."

"It's not arrogance," Gaara replied, suddenly serious. "I'd rather put myself in danger to protect the villagers from a small contingent than allow a bigger and greater army to come across into our territory. If that were to happen, too many lives would be in danger."

She blinked at him. This was the first time he'd revealed any kind of personal opinion concerning the ongoing conflict to her. It was rather strange to find he was truly dedicated to his clan's people. Of course, being the Chieftain's brother, he was bound to be. But his prickly exterior simply didn't allow for anyone to look that deep... or else, he did it on purpose so no one could figure it out.

Sakura remembered what Temari had told her about Gaara's squad being terribly loyal to him. If what he'd just told her was true, this made the latter more plausible. She surmised he was more a man of actions rather than words... something she should've picked up on a lot earlier. It was evident he was _utterly_ hopeless with words.

"That's very honourable of you," she commented at length.

"It's only my duty and I fulfil it willingly," he replied, turning towards the back of the room and making his way towards his futon. "But thank you for the compliment. I know you can't hide your obvious admiration for me," he ended in a jeering note.

"Admiration for your complete lack of sensitivity, more likely," the pink haired girl retorted. "It's amazing how someone with your deficiency of people skills has been able to survive this long."

He chuckled at her jibe but didn't reply. Throwing himself on his back over his futon, he crossed his arms behind his head and surveyed her.

From where she was standing by the door, Sakura suddenly thought this was how he would look while inviting a woman into his bed. His torso exposed and his jade eyes glinting with a kind of mysterious mischief.

Fighting down a blush at such foolish thoughts, she turned to slam the door behind her as she entered the hut. It was obvious his eyes were gleaming deviously... he was having the time of his life driving her insane! He was doing everything in his power to irritate her. He was definitely _not_ inviting her into his bed. And the seas would dry up first before she went to his futon out of her own free will.

Sakura stomped her way to her corner and spread out her own futon, grinding her teeth in the process. She was equally irritated with him for being such an ass as well as with herself for having such absurd ideas.

Behaving like a silly little miss, indeed.

_-XXXXXXXXXX-_

But Sakura found such ideas were becoming common for her as the days progressed. It had something to do with the testosterone in the air, she was sure of it. It was simply not healthy for a woman to live in such an environment... it made her start thinking things she would never have contemplated in different circumstances. Living with a clan stuck in the caveman period did things to an otherwise sensible and rational female.

The way she had fallen into a semi-normal routine with the redhead wasn't helping either. It was not possible for her to be so demented to think their arguments were a normal means of communication. But the longer she lived under his roof, the more 'normal' it was all becoming. She didn't know if he was opening up more often than before or if she was getting rather good at managing their exchanges. Sakura was inclined to think it was the latter because there was no way Gaara would become more communicative with anyone, living together with them notwithstanding.

Nowadays, it seemed she was actually sharing information about herself with him. Not that he asked directly. Instead, he would push her with his scathing taunts and she ended up making a remark about herself in defence. If she didn't know any better, she would've thought it was his method of interrogation to learn more about her. But she'd dismissed the idea completely. The brains of primitive men weren't so evolved for them to think of such manipulative tactics.

They would end up talking about the clashes between the clans and of the developments each day brought. Almost two weeks had passed since Sakura and her companions had arrived and the conflict didn't seem to be anywhere close to being resolved.

Gaara said her concern about the conflict and her desire to leave was just an act; it was obvious she was having the time of her life living under his roof.

Sakura told him he could go and sit on the fire for the rest of the night and proceeded to successfully ignore him until she went to bed.

She had been asleep for a few hours when a howling sound woke her up with a start.

The wind was blowing fiercely against the walls of the hut, making the high-pitched noise of a wounded beast. She sat up on her futon, a scared look on her face. Looking around, she saw the wooden structure around her sway slightly and the boards creaked under the force of the gale.

A powerful gust shook the small house for a few seconds and Sakura thought it would bring it down upon her head. She raised her blanket up to her chin and tried to control her nerves.

"It's just a sandstorm," said a rumbling voice to her left.

She whipped her head in its direction and perceived the outline of Gaara propped up on an elbow, watching her. In the darkness, she couldn't see his eyes clearly but she had no doubt they were mocking her.

Nodding her head, she told herself it was silly to be scared. She'd faced a sandstorm out in the open not long ago! But being startled awake by the otherworldly sound of the wind hadn't been a pleasant experience. It sounded so real, so _alive_.

It reminded her of the anguished cries people made when there was nothing she could do as a medic to save them. It was terribly similar to the sound a tortured soul elicited when death approached, creeping steadily in through terminal battle wounds. She had been witness to such wails of despair more times than she would have liked. The knowledge of one's violent and imminent demise did things to a person. When knowing the last moments of your life would be filled with pain and anguish, all traits of rationality disappeared; strong men and women were reduced to soul-wrenching wails, aware of the futility of their need to cling to life.

And the medic tending to those wounded on the killing field could no nothing but witness how their lives slipped away unto the death's door.

Another gale rattled the walls again, deafening in its howling sound.

"Why the hell is it making such a godforsaken noise?" Sakura asked to no one in particular. She covered her ears with her hands in a useless attempt to keep out the sound.

The redhead looked at her for a few more silent moments before throwing back his blanket and crossing the small distance between them.

"The sandstorms come from the desert to the north," he said as he knelt down beside her futon. "They travel across the few miles down to the mouth of the valley. The tall crags there channel the strong winds through a relatively small opening, hence the howling sound. My house is located directly in the squall's path."

The pink haired girl nodded, feeling rather stupid with her cowardly behaviour. Of course there was a rational explanation to the noise. She was being an idiot and a downright coward.

Still, she didn't miss the uncharacteristic look of concern on his face. She didn't know what made her more edgy, the moaning wind or Gaara's solicitude towards her behaviour.

"It just sounds so awful," she said, trying to save face. "It sounds like... like death."

A haunted look crossed her eyes briefly and Gaara noted it duly. He had been upon the carnage of a battlefield enough times to know what she was talking about. It was easy to imagine what kinds of things she had experienced on such occasions as a medic.

Letting out a deep breath, he closed his eyes and concentrated his chakra.

Sakura watched him suspiciously, not knowing what to expect. After a few moments, she was pleasantly surprised to realize the sound of the wind has lessened considerably. It now sounded as if it had been buffered by something and though the howling could still be heard, it was nowhere as intense as it had been before.

The redhead opened his eyes and looked at her. "Better?" he asked.

"How did you do that?" Sakura inquired in amazement.

He smiled derisively. "Quiet easily," he replied. Standing up, he unlatched the window above their heads and opened it slightly.

The pink haired girl was on her feet in an instant and looking through the narrow slit, realized there was a hard layer of something similar to clay shielding the house from the gales.

"It's sand!" she exclaimed, reaching out with her hand and touching it. "It's hardened sand!"

The redhead grunted in assent. She pulled her hand back in and allowed him to close the window. "I had to make it a bit thick to keep most of the sound out," he said.

Sakura found she was gaping at him. "That's amazing!"

His arrogant answer came only in the form of a derisive chuckle. "Not if you've been able to do it since the moment you drew your first breath."

Before she realized what she was doing, she poked her tongue out at him in response.

Gaara simply shook his head at her.

It was then Sakura realized just exactly how close to each other they were standing. As was his tendency, he slept shirtless underneath his futon. Now, her eyes were level to the alluring sight of his chest and at this proximity, she could smell the soap he used for his bath every night on his skin.

She couldn't help but swallow deeply... and she fervently prayed it was dark enough for him not to notice.

Gaara didn't disappoint.

"Can you go back to sleep now?" he snapped impatiently.

Somehow, Sakura thought he was taking up such a tone only to distract her.

"Yes, thank you," she replied, taking a step back. She graced him with the first genuinely grateful smile in all their days together.

As she bent down to rearrange herself among the blankets, she entirely missed the look of surprise and childish smugness Gaara sent her way.

After she was safely tucked into her futon, she was shocked to find the redhead sitting down next to her, his back to the wall and his legs stretched out before him. In this position, his thigh was almost colliding with the end of her nose.

"What are you doing?" she asked warily.

Gaara chuckled darkly. "Afraid for your maidenly honour?" he mocked.

"I can punch myself through your ribcage if it comes to that," she threatened.

The redhead elicited an exaggerated sigh. "Such lack of trust."

Emerald eyes narrowed as she looked up at him.

"For your information," he said haughtily, "I have to be awake for my technique to work so I'm sitting here until you decide to go to sleep. The sooner you're snoring, the sooner I'll be able to get some rest."

"Oh," Sakura admonished sheepishly.

"Go to sleep already," Gaara finally replied, crossing his arms across his stomach and settling back against the wall more comfortably.

Oddly enough, despite his proximity, Sakura found herself drifting off to sleep very soon. After this little interlude, there was something about his presence that soothed her and made her feel safe. Listening to the now faraway sound of the wind, she floated off into restful slumber.

_-XXXXXXXXXX-_

Sakura froze as soon as she came awake.

Cracking open an eye, it didn't take long to realize what her position was or exactly where her head was resting.

She'd shifted sometime during the night, so much was evident. What she didn't know or refused to analyze was how she'd ended up with her head partially cradled on Gaara's thigh and her right arm hugging his knees. To add even more alarm to her shocking position, the redhead's arm was resting snugly against her shoulders, as if holding her to him.

Sakura forced herself to remain completely and utterly still. How the hell she was going to disentangle herself without alerting him wasn't exactly clear.

The cheating bastard! He'd said he'd go back to his futon as soon as she was asleep!

Then again, he'd said he'd get some rest after she was asleep... he just didn't say where. He was supposed to go back to his own bed, damn it!

A thought struck her then: just what the hell was he doing home anyway? The sun was already shining brightly outside. Usually, he was out the door with the first rays of the dawn. It simply wasn't possible for him to have slept in.

She was going to throttle him... as soon as she managed to get out of this awkward situation.

But fate, it seemed, had other plans.

"It seems you slept quite well," came his sleep filled voice, not any less mocking for its coarseness.

Sakura stifled a defeated groan. But she wasn't going to give in so easily.

If he wanted sass so early in the morning, he was going to get it.

"Not exactly," she replied, sitting up before he could prevent her. "My neck seems to have developed a crick." Lifting up her hand, she made a show of massaging her nape.

He snorted. "From the way you were sleeping a moment ago, I would've thought you were excessively comfortable."

"Well, you will find people of my profession can rest effectively even in the most trying positions. Get sleep where you can and when you can, we always say. It's a skill of the trade," she retorted arrogantly.

Silence was his only reply and Sakura was forced to turn her face to look at him. Jade eyes were staring deviously at her while his lips were curled up in a wicked grin.

It shouldn't be possible for a man who had slept propped up against a wall to look so good the next morning.

Before any other absurd thoughts formed, she whipped her head around and proceeded to get out of her futon.

"By the way," she said casually as she folded her blanket, "just what are you doing here at this hour?"

"Am I not allowed to spend time in my very own home?" he scoffed.

Sakura graced him with a haughty look, refusing to acknowledge the truth behind his words.

"If you paid attention to your surroundings in any way, you would've noticed my sister called for a Captain meeting today," he replied, matching her haughty attitude with every word. "I'm supposed to be in the hall in 10 minutes."

"I see," she said, slightly miffed because it was a detail she really should've been aware of.

"I'm supposed to bring you along," Gaara admitted, finally standing up from the position he'd been sitting in for half the night. "And with you being female, I suggest you hurry up and get ready."

"What does me being female got anything to do with it?" Sakura asked, her temper rising.

"You women take one hell of a long time getting ready," he answered as if it was obvious.

"Listen, oaf," she told him, emerald eyes blazing. "Don't you dare categorize me with your chauvinistic stereotypes. I can get ready in less than five minutes if I need to!"

"Really?" Gaara asked with feigned surprise, walking towards the door of the house as he spoke. "I'm not sure you'll be able to wipe that dumb drowsy look from your face and be presentable in less than five minutes."

"You jerk!" Sakura yelled after him, grabbing her pillow on impulse and throwing it at him.

It was a failed attempt, though. He'd already opened the door and slipped out.

"Insufferable idiot," she mumbled under her breath. "I _do not_ need this first thing in the morning."

But as she stood up and retrieved her pillow, a revealing thought came to her mind. Remembering their exchange during the previous early hours, Sakura was sure he would've taken the first opportunity to make fun of her and her vulnerable behaviour, throwing in some kind of sexist comment along the way, no doubt.

In reality, it had been quite the opposite. Gaara hadn't even mentioned the episode even though he'd had plenty of opportunity to do so. This made Sakura pause.

Recalling his strange conduct after she'd startled awake, she simply couldn't fit it in with all she knew of him. Either she had been terribly close-minded in his regard or he suffered from a multiple personality disorder. After remembering the genuine concern she'd witnessed on his face, this last option had to be discarded.

Maybe Temari had been right about him after all.

Sakura didn't know if she should be happy or scared at this prospect.

* * *

There you have it. Read and review!


	4. Rattling the Cage

**A/N: **Here's the weekly update. Yay!

I really enjoyed writing this chapter... writing fast paced stuff is always fun. Fight scenes have always been favourites of mine.

Thanks for your reviews, guys!

¡Disfruten!

* * *

**CHAPTER IV – RATTLING THE CAGE**

*******

"Sakura!" Tenten exclaimed, running towards her friend at full speed.

"What is it?" she replied. Alerted by the urgent tone in her friends call, she came to a complete halt as she made her way to the healer's hut.

"The Chieftain has summoned us. We're going in," the Weapon Master said, trying to catch her breath as she came to an abrupt stop in front of her friend. "One of the smaller villages near the border was attacked. The enemy was repelled but there's many civilians injured and they need to be evacuated. We're needed!"

The pink haired girl nodded sombrely, already making a mental list of the medic supplies she would most likely need. "I'll meet you at the main hall in 10 minutes," she finally said, running off in the direction of Gaara's hut.

During the Captain's meeting a couple of days ago, Temari had warned them with a strained face they might be needed soon. The enemy was intensifying their attacks, using a hit and run strategy to confuse the clan's defenders. It had worked for the first couple of days but when the captains devised a counterattack and successfully deterred their assailants time after time, their adversaries had changed tactics. They were now using the hit and run strategy on the farmsteads near the border.

Chieftain Temari simply did not have enough men to defend every single holding. They'd begun evacuating but the enemy was attacking too fast for them to get everybody out on time. Hence, the Chieftain had called every able bodied person to help with the relocation of the less fortunate members of the clan. This included Sakura and her companions.

She packed her smaller medic bag in under five minutes, having most of her scrolls and vials already prepared for such an event. Letters she had received from Naruto and Hinata, courtesy of the clan's messenger bird network, were put away. Temari had given her the letters during the Captain's meeting, letting her know that communication with the Forest Kingdom had been possible. During the first days of their stay and the start of the conflict, no birds could be spared since they were being used for contact within the clan's territory. Eventually, the Chieftain had been able to send the Lord of the Forest a missive, explaining his medic's situation; Naruto wasted no time in replying and sending one of his own birds exclusively for Sakura's use. Hence, she would now receive constant information concerning of Hinata's condition and could try to treat her from a distance as best as she possibly could. Sakura had been intent on discussing some of the symptoms of the Lady of the Forest with the village's healer when Tenten had appeared. But such errands would now have to wait in view of the current situation.

Slipping her gloves on after packing everything she needed, Sakura made her way out the door and towards the clan's main hall. Tenten and Ino were already waiting for her, standing among a group of people, composed of warriors and townsfolk alike.

"They'll be coming in as well with carts and horses. We've got to get as many refugees out of the danger zone as soon as possible," the Weapon Master explained, signalling to those around them. "The three of us should go ahead since we'll be able to travel a whole lot faster."

Ino and Sakura nodded in agreement, letting her know they were ready to depart at any moment. The pink haired girl hid a knowing smile at the way Tenten was taking charge of the whole affair. Her worry for the clan's people was genuine but Sakura had to wonder how much of it had been enhanced by her growing liaison with a certain silver eyed captain.

She made a note to tease her later about it.

Tenten let the leader of the assembly know they would be departing. With a quick nod to her two companions, they set off among the main road before diverging on a cross country route. It was the quickest way to get to the conflictive border; they were forced to traverse the mostly arid landscape littered with large rocks and pointy crags everywhere. There were signs of plant life here and there but what managed to survive was few due to the implacable weather of the region. How the clan's members had managed to make a living by channelling water to create grazing lands for their livestock was a testament to their strength of will. A lesser willed people would have long ago perished in such conditions.

Travelling at full speed, it took them a little over an hour to meet up with the first group of refugees making their way to the heart of the territory. Sakura immediately checked for any injuries but found they were afflicted only by minor cuts and scratches. They explained they had been sent off by one of the Captains in charge. Those who could walk were sent away to send word concerning the places needing aid for evacuation.

Tenten made sure they knew the exact coordinates of the town where they were supposed to go. After a few minutes, the three women were off again, setting a faster pace for they were already very close to the border. Sounds of fighting reached them on the wind but they pressed on. The captains could deal with the intruders; their mission was to help with the refugees.

However, their plans were foiled as they made their up the top of a steep rocky hill and looked down at a burning farmstead.

A woman was screaming at the top of her lungs before she was run down by a grim faced warrior. A group of around twenty men, all wearing the colours of the enemy clan, ran around burning the buildings and killing the cattle. It wasn't clear where the inhabitants of the farm were but there wasn't any time to ponder.

"Sakura!" Tenten exclaimed, already unrolling one of her weapon scrolls.

"I'll be right behind you!" she shouted back.

Ino and the weapon master ran down the hill at full speed, going straight for the nearest enemies.

They had to make the best of the element of surprise. Turning swiftly to her left, Sakura ran along the top of the hill until she reached an immense stone standing just above the front of the buildings. She charged her right fist as she ran and flew at the boulder with all her might.

The ground around her shook as her fist collided and the stone exploded into pieces. The resulting debris came raining down upon a group of assailants below, provoking a landslide of earth and sharp rock shards.

Shouts of alarm went all around but it was too late. As the remaining men tried to run from the rocks, a cloud of giant shuriken appeared to the side, impaling them effectively. Tenten came up behind it, engaging another group of enemies as they came round one of the buildings.

Sakura slid down after the stones and jumped down to her aid. Between them, they took the four remaining men down but were immediately engaged by another group.

But as they clashed, one of the soldiers abruptly started attacking his companions. Being acquainted of Ino's mind techniques, both women didn't hesitate in pressing the advantage they had been given. Sakura kicked and punched in rapid succession, listening to the ring of steel versus steel as Tenten whirled round, a long sickle blade in each hand. One by one the enemy fell, leaving them a few seconds of respite to consider their next move.

"We need to find the people who live here," Sakura panted.

"I'll take the right, you take the left," Tenten replied, moving as she spoke.

As they separated, another cluster of enemies came running at Sakura. There were three of them but she didn't let their numbers deter her. She used her running momentum to roll unto the ground at the last minute, just as the leading man slashed out with his katana. A chakra-infused fist made contact with his knee cap as she came to a halt, splintering his bone. His leg gave way as he gave a guttural scream of pain and he tumbled useless to the floor. Without wasting any time, Sakura jumped up on her feet, just in time to avoid the incoming swing of a morning star directed towards her midriff.

In response, she sent a flying kick towards the man as he tried to pull his weapon back; her foot connected with the side of his neck and sent him stumbling. She was forced to pull back as his companion attacked from the side, a long-knife in each hand. Parrying his attacks, she made the best of her slimmer frame and greater speed, countering him with lightning fast taijutsu. But the morning-star wielder had already recuperated and she could hear him coming quickly behind her. She stepped to the side, allowing a knife thrust to come perilously close to her neck. But the morning-star was already swinging and her enemy at her back couldn't change its course. The spiked iron ball hummed near her ear, connecting solidly with the knife-wielder's arm. The man screamed and dropped his blade as Sakura swung in a kick aimed for his sternum.

The sound of broken bone resonated once again but she couldn't afford to stop. She dropped into a crouch as another swing of the morning star came her way, picking up the dropped knife in the process. In a quick succession of back flips, she landed on her feet next to the man and swung, slicing the side of his neck. He gurgled on his own blood and dropped his weapon, falling to his knees in the process.

Sakura allowed herself a couple of deep breaths before moving forward again.

Running around the left side of a house, the pink haired girl rounded the corner to find the burning barn some distance away. She spotted a man performing a fire-breath jutsu on a wooden tool shed. The small shack burst into flames straight away. Behind it, a small boy screamed and started running in her direction as fast as his little legs could carry him.

It was inevitable for the fire-breathing man to spot him.

Sakura moved, willing her legs to make it. She slammed against the little boy, pinning him to the ground just as a scorching flame flew above their heads.

Rolling immediately, she pulled the child into her arms and stood. The man was facing her, a mocking look on his face. He knew very well her movement would be hindered by the extra weight she was carrying. Without given her any chance, he sent another blazing flame her way.

"Hold on tight," she whispered to the boy. He whimpered slightly but tightened his hold on her shoulders.

She threw herself to the right at the very last moment; turning slightly so the heat of the fire would hit her back, she protected the boy from the burning haze. The man laughed at her prowess.

"How long do you think you can keep that up?" he asked in dark amusement.

Sakura wished Tenten would show up to skewer his spine with one of her shuriken soon. As things stood, she could only wait for her to do so. If she let the boy go to engage the man directly, her enemy would waste no time in reducing the child to ashes. Looking around her slightly, she noticed a stone well some twenty five feet away. If she could place the boy behind it, he would be relatively safe for a few moments.

It was her safest bet.

When the next flame flew her way, she ducked and lunged towards the well.

But the man was too fast. In a blink of an eye, he threw another large flame right in front of her.

She skidded to a stop just in time, turning around at the very last second. The flame burned a hole through her vest over her left shoulder blade, burning her skin. Even so, she instantly knew it wasn't too serious a burn; her movements had been fast enough to prevent any severe damage. She was lucky it hadn't burned through her pack strap.

Gathering her wits about her, she thought of a way to distract her opponent so she could make it to the stone well. Another flame came her way and she braced herself to move.

But just as it was about to reach her, a wall of sand materialized in front of her, effectively shielding her from the blaze.

Blinking, she heard men shouting and the sound of approaching feet from behind her. She turned round at the noise and saw a group of the clan's warriors making their way swiftly towards the farmstead from across a rocky field.

His crimson hair allowed Sakura to spot Gaara among their number immediately.

When she had first arrived at the village, she had once wondered what the glare he threw his enemies would be like compared to the way he had scowled at her.

She had her answer now.

Even from this distance, she could perceive the waves of violence he was emanating. Concentrating her eyes for a second, she gulped at the swirls of dark aggressive chakra churning round his tall frame; the sand swirling from the gourd strapped to his back mimicked its aggressive movements. It made him look otherworldly, like a demonic fiend set loose upon the world. His jade eyes burned like green flames on his face, threatening to destroy everything in his path.

Sakura couldn't help but be glad he didn't consider her an enemy.

Her distraction cost her, though. While she was concentrating on the approaching redhead, the fire-breathing man had jumped around the sand wall and appeared right in front of her. She saw the man lift his hand to perform his jutsu in slow motion, knowing very well his flame would reduce her to embers at so short a distance.

Instinct took over as she clutched the little boy closer to her chest and sent a low kick flying his way.

The flame left his hand in the same instant her charkra-charged foot collided with his thigh, splintering his femur on impact. Sakura leaned away as much as she could while the man let out a high pitched scream of excruciating pain. He collapsed backwards, his leg crumbling with his weight, sending the flame coming out of his mouth up towards the sky. It missed Sakura's nose by mere inches, singeing a few of the pink hairs on her brow.

A thunderous roar of unmitigated wrath made its way across the field. In front of Sakura, tendrils coming from the wall of sand swirled around the fallen man in front of her.

Before she could blink twice, the wall disappeared and engulfed the man. The sand lifted him up slightly from the ground.

"SABAKU SOUSOU!" screamed a furious voice from somewhere to her left. Even though she'd never heard it speak with such a livid pitch before, she recognized it immediately.

Right before her wide eyes, she watched the sand surrounding her fallen opponent as it imploded. A gargled scream was cut short as the sand compacted forcefully and after a few swift moments, blood starting trickling through the grains.

Sakura could not tear her eyes away from the dripping crimson flow forming a small puddle on the arid ground.

But she was given no time to digest the events that had just transpired.

Gaara was upon her in seconds.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his tone impatient and angry. Removing the child forcefully from her grasp, he held the boy with one arm as he looked her up and down, searching for injuries.

"I'm perfectly fine," she answered, finally finding her tongue. "Thank you."

She said the words even though she wasn't sure of what she was saying.

"Just what the hell do you think you were doing?" the redhead barked, his wrath radiating off him in waves. "Taking on a platoon of twenty men between three of you! It's ludicrous!"

"Well we-" Sakura started to say but was cut short by his angry shout.

"It's a miracle you weren't totally annihilated!"

By then, Gaara's squad passed them by and made their way into the farmstead. Sakura thought he would return the child to her and go with them but he stood rooted in place, the boy still firmly tucked in his arm.

"If I hadn't seen you blow up the boulder on top of the hill, you would've been done for!" he was shouting. "You were lucky we were within a short distance. Small good that little display of power would've done you!"

By this time, Sakura's temper rose to the fore and allowed her to recover her slightly scattered wits.

"Listen to me, you idiot," she yelled at up him. "We couldn't very well leave these people to their fate, could we? We had the opportunity for a surprise attack and we took it. We were saving lives here!"

"Without any regards to your own, evidently," he snapped back.

"We were doing just fine!" she retorted. By now, she was completely infuriated with him.

Here she was, risking her life for _his_ people, and he had the audacity to complain!

"Not from where I was standing," the redhead scoffed. "You were about to be turned into barbecue!"

"I was holding my own!" Sakura screamed. "I was trying to save the boy!"

Said child was now staring at the two of them with a scared look on his face. It was unclear if he preferred to face those who had just attacked his home or be caught in the crossfire between his two saviours.

"Both of you would have ended up charred if I hadn't shown up!" Gaara shouted at the top of his lungs.

"Listen here, you insufferable prick," Sakura started to say but she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. Belatedly, she realized they had been surrounded by the redhead's platoon, who were now standing by and waiting for further orders.

She snapped her mouth shut and swallowed her angry retort. His men had just heard her bickering with their leader and she was sure she would be the laughing stock of the day. Only her strong will prevented her from caving to frustration and burying her face in her hands.

Gaara noticed her abrupt elapse into silence and finally become aware of his squad standing around them. He signalled to one of the men.

"Gaara-taichou," he said respectfully, avoiding Sakura's eyes. "The enemy has been contained. We arrived to find the attack mostly under control. Half of the assailants had been downed and the inhabitants were in relative safety."

Sakura couldn't help but grin smugly at the captain in triumph.

"Good," the redhead said, ignoring her. "Make sure they are ready to depart immediately. They will be joining the refugee train. We move out in ten minutes." He handed the boy to the man as he finished speaking.

With that, his squad bowed and departed to perform their tasks.

"Well, at least your men know how to appreciate true skill... unlike their leader," Sakura said acidly, crossing her arms across her chest.

He narrowed his eyes at her but didn't take the bait; the interruption of his men had been enough to take away the sharpest edges of his temper. Not that his anger had dissipated; not in the least. But he swallowed his ire and decided to save his tirade for later. There were people's lives that needed saving.

"You need to get a move on as well. Some of the inhabitants will most likely have injuries." Reaching out, he placed his hand on her left shoulder and gave Sakura a little shove in the direction of the farmstead.

"Ow!" she exclaimed, recoiling. His hand had landed exactly on top of the spot her adversary's flame had burned.

In what appeared to be a completely unreal instance, the irritation in Gaara's face evaporated in a blink of an eye. It was replaced by a look of such profound concern the pink haired girl was taken aback. During the sandstorm interlude some nights before, she hadn't had the privilege of daylight to see his features clearly. Now she did.

She could only describe the look in his eyes as melting jade. It was as if all the ice of his cold exterior thawed and was replaced by distressed warmth. It was a mesmerizing effect and she found herself catching her breath.

So concentrated was he in turning her around and examining her back, he missed the moment of her distraction entirely.

"Bastard!" he exclaimed. "I should've made him suffer longer."

Sakura's moment of wonder passed and she found herself baffled. She wasn't sure if she should be flattered or appalled by his sentiments. "It's nothing," she finally said. "I can tell it isn't a serious burn."

"You need to get this cleaned," Gaara said. "And bandaged as well."

"That'll take too long and we don't have enough time." Taking off her glove, she lifted her right arm and brought it over her left shoulder. Luckily, the burn was high enough for her right hand to reach. Sakura let her chakra start flowing through her palm. The sting of the burn eased almost immediately and she could feel her tissues start to mend.

The redhead stared, mesmerized at the light-blue glow of her hand. He'd known her prowess as a healer was famous; he just didn't know she had the ability to cure wounds so quickly with her bare hands.

"There," she said at length. "That should do it for now." Turning around, she looked up to see the impressed look in his eyes.

Suddenly shy, she focused her gaze at a point over his shoulder. "We should get going. The others must be waiting."

Gaara nodded, still looking at her intently. He started making his way to the interior of the farmstead, Sakura falling into step beside him.

_-XXXXXXXXXX-_

"Well, well," Ino said sometime later that day. "You made quite an impression."

Sakura scrunched her eyebrows up at her. "What do you mean?"

The orange blaze of sunset was colouring the sky as the two women rode on the back of a cart towards the clan's main stronghold. They were on the last vehicle of the refugee train. After having successfully rescued dozens of people during their mission, they were now making their way slowly back to the territory's interior. If they kept up this pace, they would arrive approximately an hour after sundown.

"I heard some of the members of Captain Gaara's squad talking," the blond confided. "It seems they were impressed with the way you handled him."

Emerald eyes blinked. Embarrassment welled up as she remembered their somewhat public squabble. "They were?"

Ino laughed at the look on her friend's face. "Yes. They were amazed at how you stood your ground and yelled at him. It seems very few people have the backbone to do such a thing."

Sakura let out dry chuckle. "I'd have to agree. He can be quite intimidating. But you've just got to grit your teeth and look him in the eye."

The blond giggled at this. "It seems such a tactic has bought you a special place in the squad's esteem. They were calling you 'the Captain's tigress' by the time we parted ways."

Feeling the flow of blood increasing in her cheeks, Sakura knew she was blushing furiously. She groaned in frustration before throwing her head back in exasperation. "Oh God, please don't tell me they were using such a term in connotation to something else."

"I'm afraid they were," Ino replied laughing openly. "I think many of them think you're already his, errr...woman. Either that, or you will soon be."

"Well, I wouldn't be making any bets on that regard if I were them." Emerald eyes narrowed in determination.

"It seems he threw quiet a fit when he saw you crushing the boulder at the start of our skirmish," the blond confided. "He made them run across the whole distance, threatening to gut them if they didn't hurry up. He also cursed soundly the whole way, making remarks about female stupidity. It seems he said something along the lines of pink hair stealing any trace of intelligence from the brain."

Sakura ground her teeth at the insults she hadn't been present to witness. This was a fortuitous circumstance though. If she'd been there, she would've ended up knocking out all his teeth with her fist.

"Unbearable idiot," she mumbled, shaking her fist at the sky.

Ino looked at her with a sly smile. "You can say whatever you like but it's evident you've crept your way into his boorish little heart."

Refusing to fall prey to such a comment, Sakura leaned her head back against the boards of the cart. Her friend simply looked at her knowingly and let the matter drop.

By the time they reached the village, all three women were unbearably tired. They barely said goodnight to each other before making their way to their respective huts.

As Sakura approached Gaara's home, she noticed the door was open and there was light coming from the inside. She wasn't surprised he'd arrived earlier than she had. They'd separated from his squad sometime during mid-afternoon since they had to go back to patrolling their section of the border. The three of them had gone on to their initial destination, helping out with the evacuation of the farm people. With all of them in tow, it was inevitable for the train to take a whole lot longer to return to the village.

She stepped up to the door, terribly glad to be back in spite of herself.

"About time," Gaara said irritatingly, looking up at her from his seat on the tatami. "I was just thinking I would have to go out and search for you."

Sakura sighed in frustration. "I'm glad to see you too."

"Irony doesn't become you," he replied dryly.

She decided to ignore him and made her way to her futon... which, surprisingly, was already rolled out.

She blinked. Had he actually prepared her bed for her?

"Here," the redhead said, handing her a bowl and pair of chopsticks. "I made enough for the two of us. I was sure you wouldn't have anything to eat on the way back."

Looking dumbfounded at the bowl in her hand, Sakura could only nod at his words.

"Would you like some water?"

She nodded again, rather stupidly.

Just what the hell was going on here? Had he been bitten by some bizarre insect carrying a personality-changing disease during the last hours of his patrol?

Sakura plopped down on the floor, still looking at her food like a halfwit. He wasn't trying to drug her, was he?

"Eat before it gets cold," Gaara chided gruffly, placing a glass of water next to her.

Taking her chopsticks in hand, she did as he told her for once in her life. And immediately let go of all her apprehension.

His stir fry was delicious!

She chomped down the food happily, relishing in the exquisite flavours. Through the experience, she couldn't help but elicit sounds of delight. The redhead just looked at her with an amused look in his eyes.

"This is so tasty," she said after a big gulp of water.

She finally put down her bowl with a satisfied sigh.

"You should take a bath," Gaara suggested sternly.

"No!" Sakura exclaimed reluctantly. "I'd die from the cold water."

He simply glared. "So you're going to sleep in your dirt?"

Groaning, she pressed her palms into her eyes. She knew he was right, though. After all the events of the day, the skin of her entire body felt disgusting. Still, it took a bit of chiding and a few insults concerning her personal hygiene from Gaara for her to get moving.

Inside the hut, the redhead thoroughly delighted in the wails coming from the washroom as Sakura immersed in the water. He was still chuckling when she came in, looking terribly miserable.

"I blame you entirely for my wretchedness," she said to him, crossing the room to flop down on her futon.

The redhead only smiled wickedly at her but his expression turned serious after a moment. "How's your shoulder?"

Sakura rubbed over her injury with her right hand. "It's alright. It stings a bit but I've put some salve on it. It shouldn't give me trouble for more than a day."

He nodded.

She proceeded to crawl into her blankets while he doused the lights. It was only until she heard him settle into his very own futon that she realized he'd placed her bed a lot closer to his than she tended to do. Suspicion flared through her sleepy mind, wondering what he intended with the gesture.

But she forgave him immediately. No matter how she tried to look at it, his actions after her arrival could, especially when they came from a man like him, only be termed as pampering.

Lips curving in a silly smile, Sakura let sleep take over.

* * *

As usual, your comments are greatly appreciated!


	5. Disregarding the Boundaries

**A/N: **Wow, I'm impressed... you guys really did like that last chapter! xD It makes me a very happy writer indeed. Thanks everyone!

Here's the next one. I think it's a scenario some of you predicted and, given the circumstances, I just simply couldn't avoid the temptation to write it.

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

**CHAPTER V – DISREGARDING THE BOUNDARIES**

*******

Their routine changed after that. It should've surprised Sakura if she sat down and thought about it. But as things stood, she accepted the change without any complaint. Somehow, it simply felt natural.

Stricken by guilt at the fact that Gaara had made dinner for her while she had never even thought about cooking for him before, when he came home tired and worn-out, she decided to rectify her position. Thus, he now came back to the hut to find a nice bowl of hot food waiting for him as soon as he walked through the door.

It was inevitable for him to be suspicious at first. He walked in to find his meal served and immediately stepped back. He accused her of having some underhanded scheme planned out, ready to snare him when he least expected it. When she assured him this wasn't the case, he charged her with wanting to poison him.

The pink haired girl had felt a vein burst in her forehead.

They had bickered back and forth over the food until, threatening to strangle him with the noodles she'd made, Sakura sat down to dig into her own bowl and ignored him. The redhead had stood looking at her through narrowed eyes for a few seconds before joining her. He ate in uncharacteristic silence.

After finishing the meal, he complained about the noodles needing more salt.

The empty bowl was flying through the air before Sakura could think twice about what she was doing. Gaara caught it just before it collided with his face, jeering mockingly at her. She grinded her teeth at him but his mirth turned mischievous and he graced her with one of his impish smiles. It was amazing how childish he could be sometimes.

Turning her face away haughtily, Sakura leaned forward to collect the dirty dishes. The redhead beat her to it, though. He cleaned everything up and did all the washing without any complaint.

She guessed it was his way of saying thank you.

In such a way they adopted this new change to their evenings. The days flew by and Sakura found it had been a month since they'd come blundering into the clan's territory. Her interactions with her redheaded host had improved, she had to admit, and were at a point where she could classify them as somewhat enjoyable. She'd come a long way during her stay in regards to patience, tolerance and repression of violent instincts towards arrogant males. Of course, his insults were still flung like kunai more often than not but they had lost the cruel edge they'd possessed at the beginning of their unexpected living arrangements.

Consequently, for the time being, they had settled into a comfortable routine.

Thanks to the missives she had been exchanging with Naruto and his chief medic, she was able to more or less assess Hinata's condition from afar. Her illness wasn't as serious as Sakura initially expected but it was still worrying due to her pregnancy. The Lady of the Forest had developed a strange skin condition that provoked an intense stinging sensation. At first, it was thought she had been bitten by some kind insect; the days passed though, and the rash wouldn't go away. It actually spread from her shoulders and down across her back.

It was then, in a worrying fit over his wife, that Naruto had sent for Sakura.

Naturally, it would've been easier for her to diagnose her patient in person. Since that wasn't possible however, she was forced to take a written description of the symptoms from Hinata and the medic attending her. She'd started treatment thinking it might be some kind of infection but it hadn't been effective.

Along with the Clan's Healer, she had thought it could possibly be some kind of newly developed allergy. Had Hinata been exposed to some kind of environment she'd never been to before? Her letter was answered negatively. The Lady hadn't travelled anywhere in months; she carried out her court responsibilities in the same way she always did.

For the time being, all Sakura could do was prescribe special creams and baths to alleviate the irritation. Hinata thanked her since it made the stinging a whole lot more tolerable.

But the pink haired medic wasn't going to settle for tolerable. She had to solve this mystery rash and quickly. The whole situation was all the more frustrating due to her inability to travel. Even so, she had to make the best of the circumstances and she wracked her brains going over the symptoms she had been given and looking for possibilities.

She was absorbed in such an activity late one afternoon when she heard a commotion outside the hut. Raised voices were approaching and she stood up from where she was sitting towards the open door.

"I'm perfectly fine!" came an angry roar from somewhere in the vicinity.

Sakura's medic instincts rose to the fore at the sound of Gaara's voice. Immediately, she knew something was wrong and her heart jumped up into her throat.

She flew down the steps of the hut and rounded the corner, only to come face to face with the redhead... being prompted up by two of his men. There was one on either side of him, his arms around their necks. It was clear he wasn't very happy with the situation. He was cursing soundly and his face was a combination of anger and pain.

This last made Sakura pause. Looking down, she spotted the large blood stains on his clothing on his right side and the impromptu bandages around his torso. She stepped forward without hesitation, her training kicking in despite of her rising panic at his battered state, and expertly examined him with her hands.

He went still at the feel of her fingers and his curses died abruptly.

"Sakura-san," one of the men said worriedly, "we were-"

"Several puncture wounds and a possible broken rib," she said informed them, breathing in deeply. "Take him inside."

"Yes ma'am!" both men answered, moving forward once again.

Sakura ran back inside the hut, spreading Gaara's futon on the floor. She took an extra sheet out from the cabinet and placed it on top.

"Lay him down carefully." She stepped across the floor and rummaged through her things. With her first aid kit and medical pack in hand, she went to kneel next to her impromptu patient.

He'd recovered his voice by now and was shouting out curses at no one in particular. The grimace on his face when he was lowered down especially worried Sakura; she knew Gaara was an experienced warrior, one used to the physical damage that came hand in hand with battle. She was also aware of his tough personality and had seen just how stubborn he could be first hand. The fact that he'd actually allowed his men to take him away from combat and aid him in the process was testament to how hurt he was.

Sakura settled his pillow under his head and made him settle back.

"What happened?" She took a pair of scissors from her kit and started cutting carefully through Gaara's bandages and tattered gi.

The redhead opened his mouth to speak but one of the men beat him to it.

"We were defending one of the last farmsteads," he said while settling down on the floor with his companion. "There was a group of children living at the farm. The enemy attacked and we went in. The children were first priority and the Captain went in after them. We didn't know there was an explosive expert among the attackers. He blew up one of the farm's clay water tanks in a surprise attack when the Captain was on his way out with the kids."

The pink haired girl nodded, pulling back the bandages slowly. They were stuck to his skin and she didn't want to re-open any of his wounds.

"The damned bastard!" Gaara exclaimed with a grimace. "I should've crushed him into a bloody pulp!"

"They were standing right next to the tank," the other man put it, ignoring his leader's outburst. "The Captain's sand should've been quick enough to use as a shield but he protected the children first. He didn't manage to cover his right side on time."

"Using children to get to me, the fuckers deserve to die!" the redhead burst out again.

He let out a snarl as Sakura finally managed to peel off the last of the bandages. As she did so, one of the wounds started bleeding again and she pressed the cloth back over it. There were five large gashes and several minor scratches on the side of his torso, beginning just underneath his arm and ending above his hip bone. She didn't know how he'd managed the excruciating pain he was surely in and remain upright while his men helped him.

"Large shards of clay from the explosion went flying everywhere and some managed to pierce him," one of the men went on to say. "One of the metal legs of the tank hit him forcefully as well and-"

"Most likely broke his rib," Sakura finished for him in a pained tone. She lifted the bandage she was pressing to the wound and replaced it with her hand. It immediately began to emit a light-green glow.

"What are your names?" she asked the men. It was time to get down to business.

"Hiroshi," replied the man who had spoken first. "And this is Ichiro." Both men bowed their heads towards her.

"Alright then," the pink haired medic replied. "I'm going to need your help. I'm going to have to clean up his wounds thoroughly. If any shards of clay are still inside it will cause us all kinds of trouble. I can't stitch him up until I do that."

Both men nodded, giving her all their attention. The looks of concern and anxiety in their faces were moving. Sakura found herself wondering at the level of dedication Gaara inspired in his men.

She smiled at them but her tone was serious."Hiroshi, I need you to boil a large pot of water. Ichiro, I need you to grind these herbs into a pulp and put them in the water once it's boiled. Simmer and stir the mixture for a minute then place some of it in a bowl but leave the rest on the fire. Let me know when you're done."

The two of them jumped into action without hesitation. Sakura handed her stash of anti-septic herbs to Ichiro as well as her small mortar and pestle. While both of them were busy, she turned back to the redhead, placing both of her hands together an inch above his wounded skin.

He flinched slightly as she activated her chakra but didn't say anything. Instead, he surveyed her with a strange look in his eyes.

Sakura didn't pay any attention to him. Her hands glowed pink and she moved them across his side several times. Her brows scrunched up in concentration and after a couple of minutes, her palms came to a stop on a spot midway down his torso.

"Yes, it's broken," she informed him, letting out a breath. "But it's not a major fracture, thankfully. You'll have trouble breathing for a day or two. After that, you should be ok as long as you don't move around too much and get your rest."

She pinned a warning glance his way, letting him know that under no circumstances would he be allowed to leave the hut in the following days.

The redhead grinded his teeth at her but nodded in acknowledgment.

Selecting some tools from her kit, she lay them down in a row in front of her. "I'm going to have to probe for stray clay pieces. It isn't going to be pleasant."

"I'm a man," he replied, "I can take it." He finished this valiant little statement with one of his sneering grins.

The pink haired girl never thought she would ever be glad to see such an expression on his face. But now, it brought her great relief. Despite it all, he was still being himself, something which, medical wise, was a great sign.

"I'm going to put some anaesthetic poultice on. It won't make the pain go away but it'll make it tolerable," she told him, opening a jar containing a yellowish jelly.

"Don't worry about me," he said, looking up intently at her. "Just do what you have to do."

She smiled down at him in encouragement. Lifting one of her hands, she cupped his cheek for a moment. Her worry for him really had been genuine; now that she knew his life wasn't in danger, she was able to breathe a little easier.

"You're in good hands," she told him teasingly.

"I know," he replied in all seriousness. He turned his face into her hand, his lips grazing her palm in a gesture that made Sakura's heart skip a beat.

She couldn't help responding by moving her thumb across his skin in a gentle caress.

"Sakura-san, here's the mixture," Hiroshi said, abruptly appearing at her side with a large bowl.

She pulled her hand back from Gaara's face like if she'd just been burned. A heated blush spread from her ears to the top of her nose.

The redhead let out a derisive chuckle at her but it ended coming out like a hag's cackle due to the pain in his side.

"Gaara-taichou!" Hiroshi exclaimed in concern, leaning over his Captain. Luckily for Sakura, his worry prevented him from noticing the sudden change in her complexion.

"Alright," Sakura said, pulling herself together. She settled the bowl Hiroshi had brought her right next to her. "Let's get to work."

_-XXXXXXXXXX-_

"_Where is he!_?" bellowed a female voice from the doorway.

It took all of Sakura's experience as a medic not to drop the needle she was using to stitch Gaara up from the shock of the shout.

Temari didn't wait for anyone to answer her question. She entered the hut and in two strides she was sitting next to her youngest brother, holding his hand. Across from her, Sakura smiled at the look of worry on her face. There really was genuine affection shared between the Chieftain and her siblings.

Behind her, Kankurou entered a bit more slowly, nodding at Sakura as he did so. The pink haired medic could see several other people hanging near the doorway. From the looks of it, all the captains had come to enquire about Gaara's condition. She could make out Ino's blond hair and Tenten's double buns through the window next to the door.

Between Hiroshi, Ichiro and the redhead, they managed to get the story told in a somewhat dramatic manner. Gaara's outbursts and insults towards the enemy were backed by his men's recount of his heroic exploits. They related how he had valiantly risked his life to save the children of the farmstead. The honour and bravery of their Captain couldn't be topped by anyone else.

Sakura kept quiet throughout the whole re-telling, concentrating on stitching the redhead's wounds. It was hard to hide her mirth at the way Hiroshi and Ichiro elevated their Captain to the level of demigod. From the way they were speaking, it would've been easy to believe the wounds she was stitching were just for show. She caught the redhead's eyes a couple of times, making the merriment at his expense evident.

He glared back but didn't have the chance to retaliate thanks to the enthusiasm of those around him. Temari had stopped listening to him at some point along the way and was concentrating solely on his subordinates' view of the whole thing. Asking questions, she directed the attention of all of those present towards Hiroshi and Ichiro.

This allowed Sakura to continue working undisturbed and after a while, she had successfully sutured all of Gaara's major wounds.

She wiped off the sweat on her forehead with the back of her hand and announced she was done. Now all she needed to do was put some healing poultice over the wounds and bandage him up.

"He should also be getting some rest," she said, looking up at Temari across Gaara's prone form.

"Yosh!" the Chieftain exclaimed. "We shall leave him to your expert care."

She turned towards the assembled group. "My brother needs to rest now. But we shall hold a banquet in honour of his actions in a few days! Everyone will be able to talk to him then."

There was a cheer all around before people started to depart. Ino and Tenten waved at Sakura from the window. She smiled up at them and waved back.

Temari leaned across her brother and took Sakura's hand. "Thank you very much for looking after him." Her tone was suddenly serious and true gratefulness shone from her teal eyes. "I can rest easy knowing he's been taken care by the best."

The pink haired medic smiled, somewhat embarrassed. "It was no problem at all. Besides, it was the least I could do after the hospitality you've shown us."

The Chieftain nodded, accepting her words.

"However," Sakura said, her tone turning mischievous, "I was solely tempted to let him suffer for a bit to see if I could cure him of his crabbiness."

Kankurou let out a loud laugh at this comment. Temari snorted.

Gaara growled at his medic from the floor.

"I'm afraid that's impossible," the tattooed faced man replied after he managed to catch his breath. "Even though, it would've been a good attempt."

"Shut up!" the redhead yelled at him.

Temari stood up then, still chuckling. "I'm afraid it's in his genes. You can't cure him of it."

"Well, I'll never know if I don't try," Sakura said cheerily. "I'll have more opportunities to inflict pain during his recovery."

Another laughing episode followed and Gaara's older siblings left the hut with gleeful tears in their eyes. Temari said one of them would stop by the next morning to see how he was doing.

Wishing them a goodnight, Sakura closed the door behind them. Night had fallen already and her stomach was starting to growl in hunger. She stretched languidly, raising her arms above her head and cracking her spine before turning back to her patient.

Jade eyes were glaring at her. "I am _not_ crabby."

She laughed at him. The look on his face discredited his statement so much it was unbelievable. She decided it was best to ignore the remark, though. He was recuperating from a serious injury after all and it wouldn't do to start any arguments.

Still, Sakura wasn't sure how long she'd be able keep the peace. Even if he was in a battered condition, she was sure his tongue was still just as sharp as ever.

"Are you hungry?" she asked.

"A bit," he answered grumpily. "Those concoctions you made me swallow left my stomach feeling a bit queasy."

"It'll go away soon." She kneeled down next to him. "Let me finish up so I can make us some food."

For the next ten minutes, she applied a thick layer of healing poultice on his skin and proceeded to bandage his torso. It was painful to sit up but the redhead managed to do so in his first attempt.

Some extra cushions taken from the storage above his cabinets were needed and Sakura placed them against the wall so he could sit up while resting. She made sure he was comfortable and that he wasn't stretching his sutures. Gaara sulked at the fussing but didn't complain. If she didn't know any better, she could've sworn he was enjoying it.

After twenty minutes, she had cleaned up effectively and had finished making them a pair of cold beef sandwiches. The redhead ate heartily, something she was grateful for. The last thing she needed was to have to beg for him to take proper nourishment. It tended to happen with some patients but luckily, he didn't fall into this category.

The exhaustion was starting to show on his face by the time he finished eating. His cheeks were pale and the dark rings around his eyes were darker than usual. Sakura cleaned up the dishes in a hurry and helped him stand.

"Do you think you can walk?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

Without answering her, the redhead took a couple of steps around the room and nodded. "The pain's a whole lot more tolerable."

"That's because you're under medication," she informed him, hands on her hips. "Don't overdo it."

"I won't," he said, heading towards the door.

"Hey! Where do you think you're going?" she yelled at him. "Didn't you hear what I just said?"

"For your information, I need to take a piss," he countered, turning to face her. "Or would you like to help me with that?"

Sakura blushed to the roots of her hair.

The redhead laughed, sliding the door open. "Don't worry. I'll call for your assistance if I need it."

"Don't underestimate my dedication as a medic!" she exclaimed but he was already gone. Helping an insufferable yet injured man to relieve his bladder wasn't the worst thing she been forced to do in her career.

Still, the blush didn't disappear until a few minutes later. By then she had already arranged their futons on the floor and was ready to get some sleep. A wash would come in handy first, though. She put the tea kettle on the fire to make her patient a sleeping draught. He would most likely need it to rest well during the night.

It was moments like these that made Sakura extremely glad of her decision to pursue her profession. She knew the frustration people felt whenever someone they cared about grew sick or suffered an accident. Impotence had never sat well with her. Thanks to her training, she could now tackle any such hurdle with the certainty that she knew exactly what she was doing, just like she had done with Gaara. She had examined him and instantly applied herself to making him feel better. Despite the worry she had felt and the seriousness of his wounds, she was confident enough to know he would mend just fine. Even so, in spite of long years of experience, no medic would be able to fight back the anxiety that came hand in hand when someone they cared for showed up in a dire condition.

She instantly stopped what she was doing, tea kettle in mid-air.

'Someone I care for? _Him?_' she thought in disbelief. But try as she might to scoff the idea, the memory of her heart trying to burst from her chest with worry at the sight of his injured form rose to the fore. There had been a moment there when she had finished examining him that she had let out a breath she hadn't been aware she had been holding in absolute relief at knowing he was really alright.

Sakura shook her head violently to disperse such thoughts. What was _wrong_ with her?

Her inner turmoil was interrupted by the sound of the door opening and she refocused on getting the draught ready.

Gaara came back quite fatigued from his little excursion. Sakura glared at him but didn't comment. She would have to devise a way to keep him from moving around too much. It was already clear he wouldn't be an easy patient in that regard. The responsibility he felt for his Clan and his squad would make him want to get back into action as soon as possible. She would have to convince him that the most direct way for him to return to his platoon was to sit as still as possible for the next few days.

Getting him down unto his futon proved easier than Sakura had thought. He was more than willing to cooperate and go to sleep. She handed him a cup filled with the sleeping herb drink she'd prepared. Raising suspicious jade eyes he took the offered cup and sniffed its contents.

"After all the work I've put into making you better, it'd be stupid to poison you now," she remarked wryly.

He humphed in response but took a sip of the hot concoction.

"I'm going to have a quick wash," she said, heading for the door with her night clothes in hand. "If you need anything just shout. You should try to get some sleep, though."

Fifteen minutes later, she found him dozing, his chest rising and falling evenly with his breathing as he lay on his futon.

It was after she set down her things and moved towards her bed that she realized he had pulled it towards his while she was in the washroom. Her pillow rested right next to his. Sakura felt her right eye start twitching but she was too tired to argue. It wasn't like he could actually do anything in the state he was in.

Sighing deeply, she doused the lights and settled into her blankets. She had managed to snuggle into her pillow for around twenty seconds when she felt a strong hand pull her unto her side to face the occupant of the futon next to hers. A loud squeak resounded around the room as Gaara settled his arm under her neck, his hand against her back. He pulled her close to his uninjured side and breathed out contently.

"What the _hell_ are you doing?" Sakura hissed, trying to pull away.

But he gave a low growl in response, tightening his hold. It was followed by an unintelligent mumble as he settled back to sleep with her safely tucked to his side. Her sleeping draught had worked wonders.

'Great,' she thought in frustration. How was she supposed to get any sleep now?

Her head was resting partly on his chest and she could smell his scent quiet clearly. It was mixed with the smell of the poultices she had applied on his injuries but it was inherently there. After all the days she had spent in his company, she had become fond of his scent. A combination of the soap he used to wash with an aroma that could only be described as Gaara. It was simply _him_. Now, she was awash in it and the effect was intoxicating. She breathed deep lung-fulls of it before she resigned to her fate, closing her eyes to sleep.

It was a long time in coming. Her mind started going down paths she had previously avoided at all costs. With the feel of the skin of his chest under her cheek, it was inevitable not to; sleeping in his arms left her no choice. Mainly, she was plagued by one main question:

_What if?_

Unfortunately, she didn't have an answer and in all honesty, she wasn't sure if she wanted one.

* * *

There you have it! Things are now falling into place so you can expect some steam real soon. ;D Leave me your comments!


	6. Willing Captive

**A/N#2:** I re-uploaded the chapter. Some of you were sending me messages saying you couldn't access it. I hope this solves the problem. I apologize, guys, but I have no idea why the chapter's been acting funny. o___O

***

**A/N:** I apologize for the slight delay guys! I was kidnapped by some friends yesterday afternoon and didn't arrive home until really late. They showed up at my door and I couldn't shoo them away. xD

But enough of that, the lime I promised is here! This chapter's nice and citrusy. I really liked how it turned out... hope you share the same opinion after reading it.

Also, some of you were wondering what Gaara's been thinking through all this. Well, it's his turn in this chapter. ;D

I'll leave you to your reading!

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**CHAPTER VI – WILLING CAPTIVE**

*****  
**

Nonetheless, she did get an answer. It was inevitable after spending three days straight with him in recovery.

Sakura sensed he had made up his mind concerning her... but what exactly he had decided wasn't clear.

Or at least, she told herself it wasn't clear. Denial could go a long way in situations like this. She surmised it would all go away if she made an effort to ignore it. Maybe he would take the hint and leave well enough alone.

But it didn't seem like he was getting a clue. The subtle caresses he tried to hide behind everyday interaction were becoming more and more evident. The way his hand lingered whenever she passed him his food bowl or how he would suddenly tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear when she was concentrating on Hinata's diagnosis. She tried to catalogue all this as casual contact; they had, after all, grown closer as the days passed and were now sharing a comfortable friendly relationship. There was nothing to worry about... it could all be explained as affable behaviour from one comrade to another.

This theory lasted her about a day and a half. It was then that he did something that simply could not be ignored.

Sakura caught him sniffing her nape.

She was standing by the small kitchen counter, her hair tied up into a short pony tail while she grinded up some of the herbs that went into the paste for his injuries. Gaara came up behind her on silent feet and peered over her shoulder. How he could move with such dexterity while being injured was beyond her. It was belatedly that she became aware of his presence, his chin almost touching her shoulder. She gave a little jolt of surprise but managed to continue with her grinding as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening.

"What are you doing?" he asked curiously.

"I'm mashing up some of the herbs to make more of the paste for your wounds. I've almost ran out."

"Hmm, I see." He stood there watching her work for a few seconds before he pulled back slightly. As he did so, he lingered near the back of her neck. Sakura clearly heard his deep intake of breath and could almost feel the tip of his nose against her nape. Her reaction was too powerful to even try to hide. The hairs on her arms stood on edge instantly and a shiver ran down her spine. Luckily, he pulled back without becoming aware of the turmoil he was provoking on her senses and went out the door to sit on the terrace.

It took her longer than she expected to recover from that little incident. Her heart was pounding in her ears and she was unable to stop it. She scolded herself for not being able to control her body's reaction; she wasn't a silly chit who'd never been close to a man before. There was absolutely no reason why she should be affected in such way. Sure, the redhead was handsome, there was no doubt about that; this, however, didn't mean she'd end up swooning at his feet. She was her own woman and was anything but helpless when it came to overbearing males.

Nevertheless, the close contact being forced upon her during his recovery did nothing to help with her resistance. Being his medic, it was her duty to examine his wounds daily and to check on his progress. This directly translated to a lot of touching and palpating. Hence, she was more than aware of the texture of the muscles under his skin. A part of her was always intricately aware of the maleness he exuded, even when injured. It was this part that was gaining more and more dominance over her consciousness as the time passed.

It was one thing to fight him and to try to keep him at bay. It was, however, a completely different thing to fight herself over the growing attraction she felt for him. How she could be contemplating such a counterproductive liaison was really beyond all reason. Nothing but trouble would come of it. Her life was already full of complications and difficulties; it wouldn't do to add something of this magnitude to the scale, even if it was just physical.

Because it _was _just physical. She told herself that over and over again. Sakura refused to believe she was starting to harbour feelings for the redheaded neanderthal. The fact that jade green was suddenly becoming her favourite colour or that she found herself admiring the commendable way he related to the members of his squad whenever they paid a visit to the hut meant absolutely nothing. Being appreciative of his qualities as a leader or of his devotion towards his clan was something natural. Even cavemen like him were bound to have positive traits in some aspects of life. The air of silent yet powerful authority he possessed was something anyone would admire. That this added to the appeal of his physical allure and made her initial perception of him shift completely wasn't something she should pay particular attention to. She was just getting to know him. Knowing someone on a more intimate level didn't mean you were falling head over heels for him.

Additionally, wanting to throttle the village beauty when she delivered some rice cakes as a get well present had nothing to do with it either.

The way Gaara smiled at her and made polite conversation towards her had nothing to do with Sakura whatsoever. Sure, the girl had gorgeous hazel eyes and her hair was a black so shiny it rivalled the night sky. But she was just a young chit with no brain. It didn't matter that some of Gaara's men had lingered when they realized she was coming over to visit their taichou. It could be said it was a relief when they ignored Sakura completely, even though she was sitting in the same room. This meant she could concentrate on her things instead of joining in the stupid and banal conversation revolving round the raven haired wench.

Who cared if her rice cakes were delicious? The pink haired girl was said to have baked some mean cakes in her day. Not all in life revolved around being able to bake tasty pastry. There were more important things out there, like saving people's lives out in the battle field.

It was when she had read the starting lines of Hinata's latest letter for the tenth time that she realized she was behaving like a petty fool. Groaning at herself, Sakura put the letter down and covered her eyes with her hand, berating herself silently. Thus, she didn't catch the sidelong glance Gaara threw her way from where he was sitting, feigning he was listening to the conversation going on around him.

The truth was he was more attuned to the pink haired medic than to any other person in the room. He had realized something had ticked her off but couldn't decide on what it was. Maybe the constant visits from the inhabitants of the village were starting to get on her nerves. The redhead couldn't agree more. If he had to sit through yet another 'hope you get well soon, Captain' speech, he was sure to lose his mind. It was solely because of his position and because of Temari's adamant insistence that he treat visitors well (they were genuinely worried about him, after all) that he'd been able to put up with it all. But judging from Sakura's reaction, it was time to put an end to the torture.

Sakura rose from her sitting position and quietly made her way out of the cottage. She desperately needed some air and it was crucial she get a hold on her rampant emotions. Making her way into the wash room at the back of the hut, she berated herself once again for behaving like a lovesick schoolgirl. This attraction she was feeling towards her redheaded host was going too far. It had to end and it had to end soon. She idly wondered if it was possible to change residence but immediately decided against it. It would be downright insulting if she asked to be placed under someone else's roof now. Either way, she didn't think Gaara would let go of her so easily. Fighting with him over letting her live with someone else wasn't something she endeavoured to do.

It was relieving to wash her face with some cold water. She took her time and sat down on the small stool next to the wooden tub. If she could only get rid of her infatuation over the redhead! She was supposed to be a mature woman, an experienced practitioner of her profession. There was no time to regress to teenaged behaviour and uncontrollable urges. She was trapped in this village along with her companions due to a war! And here she was, ogling her host whenever she had to check on his healing injuries. If Tsunade-shishio could see her now... how degrading it would be.

Half an hour passed before she regained a cool head and went back to the hut. By then, Gaara's visitors had left and a welcome silence reigned over the small house. Its owner was sitting on the tatami, his back to the wall as he sat propped up on some pillows. His eyes were closed but when he heard Sakura walk in, a sliver of jade appeared from between his lids. It was easy to tell she was still annoyed about something; he just couldn't figure out what it was. The tension escalating between them during the past few days had risen to a level where it was almost palpable in the air. Bringing it to that level had been a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Nevertheless, he would enjoy it even more when the time came for him to conquer her stubbornness.

He wasn't sure when it was that he'd decided to wage a battle against her defences. It could have been when she'd woken up in the middle of the night due to the howling wind and showed him the vulnerable side of her nature; she hid it so well most of the time, one would think it didn't exist. For the life of him, Gaara couldn't tell why he felt so attracted to that facet of her. Maybe it had something to do with the way she had looked at him when he'd lessened the noise of the wind with his sand. The look of genuine gratitude and innocent delight she had given him was enough for him to be taken aback for a moment. It had been so uncharacteristic of her he had thought he had imagined it all. To know she possessed such a susceptible facet stirred the dark, instinctual part of _his_ personality. It made him want to lash out towards whatever might upset her and hoard her away somewhere where only he could have access to her. Which, truthfully, was more or less what he'd been doing since then; he was keeping her inside his home and maintaining careful watch over her.

Admittedly, Gaara had been terribly annoyed when Temari had saddled him with her. He'd been ready to fight her tooth and nail until she tucked tail and ran. But to his surprise, the pink haired medic hadn't run towards the nearest hill at the first opportunity. She had stood her ground and barked right back at him. It was so enjoyable, he couldn't remember the last time he'd been so amused. His perspective changed completely after that. Having her there when he came home after the day's skirmishes was a welcome distraction from the violence and hostility that made up the rest of his existence. Their bickering was just what he needed to alleviate the tension he felt towards the perpetual threat his village found itself under. Sakura provided a glimpse of what his life might have been if he hadn't trained to become a human weapon since his first days of childhood. Gaara had long ago disposed of any wishful thinking on his part when it came to imagining what it might be like to live a normal life. Due to his position as the former Chieftain's youngest son and an innate ability to control the sand of their arid region, his fate had been sealed since birth. He knew nothing else apart from all the many ways he could end a person's life using his sand.

What could a woman like Sakura ever want with monster like him?

He guessed this was the reason the vulnerable side of her nature appealed so much to him. During every waking hour, Sakura showed remarkable independence; she was confident in her abilities and didn't need anyone else. She went about life being as an outstanding self-sufficient woman. There was nothing she couldn't tackle if she set her mind to it, including being in the forced custody of a warrior clan until their differences with the neighbouring territory were solved. She had a capacity to accept her circumstances and shift her perspective accordingly that was truly envious. The autonomous medic scoffed at those who thought she wasn't capable of handling any of the hurdles life threw her way. There was no room for a temperamental and violent warrior in her life.

But then she had been scared of the howling wind and the fierce warrior had stepped in to do something about it. When she was defenceless, there was a margin through which Gaara was able to step through. It was then that she needed the redheaded beast of the sands.

No one in his life had ever needed him in such a way. He had never vanished the shadows and anguish of the night for anyone. Never had anyone looked at him with such intimate gratitude or expressed such naive joy at witnessing the power of his sand.

And never would he have guessed that it would be so fulfilling.

The fact that she had shown such weakness to him, he the bane of her impromptu imprisonment, was enough to make something inside him shift and mutate. Never in his life had he wanted to protect and to shield. He'd never ever felt anything even similar towards his village. Sure, he was devoted to them and would risk his life for their safety, but the feeling didn't even come close to the intensity he felt towards Sakura. The weak girl inside her pulled at him from all different kinds of angles and pulled at him hard. The fact that she'd been living under his roof for many days and would continue to do so for an unprecedented amount of time only helped to escalate his already mounting possessiveness.

This was the reason why, after seeing her go head first into battle on the day of the refugee evacuations, he had shouted down at her the moment he'd caught up. The way she had plunged into the fight without any regard to her safety had been _intolerable_. It would never happen again as long as he drew breath. He'd decided afterwards that if she was going to fight, she would do it by his side or not at all. Never again would he tolerate her getting injured. The vision of her jarred skin and crimson blood was too much for his inner beast to take. It was this beast that had already staked its claim on her. Nonetheless, it took its conscious counterpart a little more time to catch up with the sentiment.

After having Sakura treat his injury and nurture him back to health, there was no point denying it. He couldn't name what it was that he was feeling; he just knew it was _real_. Whenever Gaara wanted something, he just stepped up and took it. This was one of the premises with which he lived life. The pink haired medic was no exception. After having discovered her, there was no possibility of him letting her go. It was time she realized that.

This was why watching her struggle with herself had been amusing. These past days of close proximity during his convalescence had been filled with priceless moments of watching Sakura pretend he didn't have an effect on her. Gaara knew he was getting on her nerves and he delighted in it. He couldn't wait until she finally let her walls crumble. Even though this whole dance they were performing was entertaining, he really wasn't renowned for his patience.

Didn't she realize what her palpating and contact did to him whenever she checked his wounds? Having her fingertips work their way over the skin of his torso ignited all kinds of fervent desires within him. A man could only take so much and he was reaching his limit.

The way she was ticked off because of something only triggered his mounting need. He wanted to wipe that worried frown on her face and replace it with an altogether different expression. From the way their attraction had been generating sparks during the last few days, it was evident they were going to end up tumbling within his futon at some point or the other. Therefore, there wasn't any point in wasting time.

There really was no time like the present.

"What's gotten into you?" he asked snidely as she slid the shouji door closed behind her.

Emerald eyes narrowed at him in annoyance. "Why would you think there's something wrong?"

"With the way you've been sulking around all day, it'd be pretty stupid of me not to think so."

"I am NOT sulking!" Sakura exclaimed furiously. She walked over to her side of the tatami and sat down where she had left Hinata's letter.

"Of course you're not," Gaara mocked. "Sitting around with a frown on your face and throwing dark looks at unaware visitors is completely normal behaviour."

Cursing her pale complexion, she tried really hard not to blush. "I was not glaring at anybody."

His silent stare expressed his obvious disbelief.

Sakura felt the tight control she had on her temper start to loosen. "Listen, I don't really want to discuss this right now."

"Ha!" he barked. "Then you _are_ upset about something."

If it was possible for steam to come out of human ears, hers would be smoking furiously.

"If I am upset it's no concern of yours!" she shouted, finally snapping.

Jade eyes widened at that. "Think again! It is my concern because we're living under the same roof. If I have to put up with your sulking, I'm entitled to know why."

Sakura spoke through clenched teeth. "You have no right to butt into my personal affairs."

Gaara let out a sneering laugh. "We've been sharing this small living space for the Gods know how many days and suddenly it's personal? You've got some nerve."

"Haven't you thought that sharing this _tiny_ living space might be the problem?!" she yelled at him.

"I don't remember you having much of a choice," he replied arrogantly. "It's this or getting killed trying to cross the border."

"Maybe I would prefer to get killed rather live with you!"

He chuckled darkly. "Well, there's the door," he said, nodding towards it with his head.

Red covered Sakura's vision as she stood up in one swift motion. She couldn't stand one more second of his company. She was going to kill him if she was forced to stay!

Her feet were making their way towards the door before she could help it. "FINE! See who'll take care of your injuries, you ungrateful bastard! I HOPE YOU CHOKE ON _HER_ RICE CAKES!"

Even as the words left her mouth, shock at the admission filtered through her. She couldn't believe she had been provoked into saying it. She didn't stop in her stride though and made a dash for the door.

It was too much to ask for him to ignore such a statement from her.

Gaara was upon her the moment she reached the sliding door. His right hand slammed against the wood, preventing her from opening it. Sakura stood there, frozen in place while he remained behind her, so close she could feel his breath on her hair.

"What did you say?" he asked, his voice a fierce whisper.

Sakura refused to lower her head. She wouldn't be intimidated by him, not now, nor ever.

"I said, you can choke on her rice cakes," she said, her voice steady despite her emotional turmoil and her overwhelming need to get the hell out of there.

"Ah," he replied with suspicious calm. "So _that's_ it. I knew you were upset about something."

She was about to counter with a slashing retort but the sudden feel of his lips on the side of her neck threw her completely off balance. Electricity travelled all the way down her back and up her arms. It was inevitable to suck in her breath in surprise.

Encouraged by her response, Gaara drew his lips up her skin towards the back of her ear. "You should've told me earlier. If I'd known, I would've thrown the little scamp out earlier and given you proper attention."

Despite being distracted by the caress of his mouth, her temper flared. "I don't want your attention," she stated firmly.

The feel of his breath when he laughed made the hairs on the back of her nape stand on end.

"Liar," he whispered, clearly amused.

He turned her around then, taking her into his arms. There was no chance to utter a word or try to move away. His mouth was on hers before she could do anything. Sakura was trapped within his embrace and at the feel of his lips, she felt something inside her snap. She opened her mouth at the demand of his tongue as all the pent up frustration she had been keeping leashed during the past days came crashing down like a tsunami wave.

She was caught in the surging tide, unable to break free. Her need exploded inside her thanks to his kiss until she forgot why it was they had been arguing in the first place. The feel of his heated embrace was simply too much to take; the dam was broken and she welcomed the flood of sensations it brought.

Wiggling her arms free from his hold, Sakura wrapped them around his neck as she met his kiss, returning it with fiery intent. She returned each caress of his tongue with equal eagerness, until liquid fire ran through both their veins. Gaara pulled her closer to him, tangling his fingers in her roseate locks with one hand as the other one pressed against the small of her back. With each moment, heat escalated between them until Sakura found it hard to breathe.

Pulling back abruptly to catch his breath, the redhead looked down at the incensed woman in his arms. The look in her emerald eyes made him yearn for her in ways he hadn't thought possible. He lowered his lips to her ear, catching her lobe between his teeth and nibbled on it softly. Sakura felt a thrill run down her frame but she wasn't one to stand by passively. She pressed kisses down his neck until she reached the spot where it met his shoulder. Laving it softly with her tongue, she bit down, relishing in the feel of his skin in her mouth.

The redhead's growl thrummed through her and she chuckled. If he thought she would be submissive, he was in for a big surprise. His lips returned to hers for another scorching kiss. Roaming hands made their way down her back, caressing as they went. She smiled against his lips and lifted her own hands to cup his face. But he caught her unawares.

Lowering his hands to her rear, he suddenly lifted her up, forcing her to wrap her legs around his waist. She squealed in surprise but he didn't let her break the kiss. He took a step towards the door, resting her back against it while he kissed her senseless, obliterating what remained of her rationality. The world narrowed down to the sensations he was provoking and to the heat rising higher and higher within them.

It was only a few minutes later that Sakura was able to gather her wits enough to pull back slightly.

"What the hell are you doing?" she demanded breathlessly. "You're going to pull your stitches!"

Gaara snarled in response but pulled her away from the door. He crossed the room impatiently and made his way towards the tatami. Kissing her again, he kneeled on the mat and leaned forward, laying her down. Sakura still had her legs wrapped around him as he lowered her. The feel of his body stretching out on top of her was immersing her brain in a haze and she was quickly losing her capacity to think once again. She was kissing him back with all the passion harboured within her. The feel of his muscles beneath the fabric of his gi only served to ignite her hunger for him even further.

As if sensing her need, the redhead pulled back, lowering her legs as he did so. While kneeling between her thighs, he straightened and removed his gi in one swift motion. Chest bare, he lowered back down towards her and nibbled the spot just below her ear.

The feel of his bare skin under her fingers made her gasp in delight, a soft moan of undiluted pleasure falling from her lips. Her hands travelled from his shoulders down his back, relishing in the sensation of the honed muscles courtesy of his warrior's training. She registered his hand making its way to the hem of her own shirt and start pulling it upward. Wiggling in approval, she lifted enough so he could slide it up her back. Gaara disengaged for a moment to pull it swiftly over her head. Lifting her arms for him, Sakura felt his mouth descend to the base of her neck, his tongue descending down her skin towards the valley between her breasts.

A second later, he growled with impatience at the remaining fabric covering her chest. He slid his hand behind her back and unhooked her bra, leaving her completely exposed to his hungry gaze. Gaara lowered his face to her breasts, licking, nipping and suckling. Sakura thought she would pass out from the pleasure his tongue was bringing her. He didn't stop until a strangled scream of delight escaped from the back of her throat. Jade eyes lifted up in amusement, a wicked grin on his lips.

Sakura took advantage of his momentary distraction to pull his face towards her, kissing him ravenously. She was on the brink of senselessness; the friction of her bare skin pressed against his chest was driving her over the edge. They were spiralling down into an abyss of heat and flame where there would be no turning back.

"Wait," Sakura said, pulling back slightly. The last remnants of rational thought she possessed abruptly tried to make themselves heard. "We shouldn't be doing this."

"Yes we should," the redhead answered, his hands roaming down her abdomen towards the tie of the capris trousers she was wearing.

"No," she managed to say with effort. His fingers were being so distracting. "There might be visitors. They always come over during the afternoon."

Gaara chuckled, his tongue sliding down her tummy as he unfastened her trousers. "That won't happen. I made it clear I wouldn't be receiving any more visitors today."

"What?" she asked, clearly confused. She was finding it terribly difficult to concentrate.

"I told the boys who just left to let everyone know I would be resting for the remainder of the day," he replied, sliding her trousers down her legs. "Orders from my doctor."

"Oh really?" she replied with a chuckle. "_This_ surely isn't resting."

"No," he admitted, flinging her capris away and running his fingertips up her thighs. "The resting will come after this."

Sakura was about to reply but his mouth covered hers once again, drowning any complaint she might've had. She pressed herself against him, his arousal made evident through the material of his zubon trousers. Piercing flames raced through her at the contact and she intensified the caresses of her tongue, letting him know of her need.

He answered by lowering his hand towards her panties, hooking two fingers under them and starting to slide them down.

"Wait," Sakura said, interrupting again. "This won't do. You're going to pull your stitches if we continue like this."

Gaara stopped and scowled down at her, clearly not pleased. "I don't give a damn about-"

She didn't let him finished. While he was distracted, she pushed him down towards the floor, forcing him to roll and reversing their positions. Emerald eyes looked down wickedly at him from her new perspective as she straddled him. Now it was her turn to undo the tie of his trousers.

"_That's_ better," she told him with a smug smile.

The redhead chuckled at her sneaky tactics. "I think I like this view," he admitted, his eyes roaming all over her body.

"I like this view too," Sakura replied, trailing a fingertip down his chest and abdomen. His skin flickered in response. She leaned down to lick and kiss, following the trail of her fingers with her tongue. Her other hand had made quick work of his trousers; lifting up once again, she started pulling them down.

"Now," she continued to say. "You _are_ under orders from your doctor."

He gave her an amused look as his hands lifted to her sides and pulled her down towards him. "What are your orders, sensei?"

"Nice and slow," she replied with a devious grin.

He chuckled as he brought her down over his chest, his hands caressing down her smooth back, stoking the already blazing fire between them.

"Yes, ma'am."

* * *

About time, don't ya think? xD

Read and review guys!


	7. Constricting Uncertainties

**A/N: **Once again, I apologize for the delay but it couldn't be avoided. My semester is kicking into high gear and, between school work and my job, I'm barely allowed time to breathe. Graduate school really is as demanding as they warn you it will be.

Therefore, this has led me to make a few decisions concerning this fic:

1) I'd initially wanted to extend this story and give it some more development. Nonetheless, if I want to keep my sanity and juggle all the things I have to do, this isn't an option anymore.

2) Because of this I shall be forced to start wrapping things up. Hence, you can expect just two more chapters for this fic.

3) I hate rushing things and leaving stuff out but I'm being forced to do so. Nonetheless, I wanted to make this story a whole lot simpler than my other multi-chapter fics because of time constraints. I just hope I can pull it off nicely and none of you complain.

I wanted to have a different take on Sakura when it came to this fic, as you'll notice in this chapter. Making mistakes is something everyone does at some point or another.

But enough blabbering, I shall leave you to your reading.

* * *

**CHAPTER VII – CONSTRICTING UNCERTAINTIES**

*******

Gaara admitted it was a strange feeling. Having a woman sleeping in his arms, her visage peaceful and calm, was bizarre. Her sleep wasn't interrupted by nightmares and it wasn't restless. Her face wasn't contorted in an expression of fear; it was completely the opposite. She rested as if boneless against him, not fearing any kind of attack or violent reaction while sleeping in the arms of the most volatile fighter in the village.

His inner beast purred in satisfaction at this and gloated silently.

They had spent the past days tumbling in his futon as much as they were allowed. As if sensing what was going on between them, the get-well visits from his squad had lessened but hadn't stopped altogether. Sakura would have never permitted that. Gaara had hinted on telling the members of his platoon about their situation so they would be left alone and she had lashed out immediately. Why she didn't want anyone to know about their very pleasant interactions was beyond him but he didn't complain. As long as she continued to share his home and his bed, he'd put up with her antics and humour her.

After all, their blissful time together would be ending very soon. He had received reports that the fighting had intensified lately. The enemy was being driven back into their own territory but was turning to even more ruthless attacks to try and regain ground. Gaara had spent too long out of the battlefield; he needed to step in and make sure this petty conflict ended as fast as possible. The luxury of spending days in the arms of his newfound lover wasn't an option.

People were dying while he was here, relishing in the warmth of Sakura's naked body. Even though it was a thoroughly pleasurable experience and he didn't want it to end, he knew where his duty lay.

For the first time in his life, the sand beast inside of him was torn in two. It had to choose between going out into the battlefield and let its violent instincts loose on the enemy who was threatening his people or remain here, savouring the unexpected acceptance of its nature that came from Sakura. It was the first time in his life he was on the receiving end of such sentiments. His soldiers and comrades accepted him and respected him greatly; he would say they even cared for him in their own way. But none of them actually went to bed with him at night, did they? None of them dealt with the redheaded fiend in an intimate way and would most likely make a run for it if they ever had to.

Sakura, unknowingly, had offered him something he had never ever received before. She had crossed the threshold of barriers without knowing and had accepted what she had found there. After witnessing his temper every day, after suffering close contact with him regularly and more especially, after witnessing the atrocities he could commit in the battlefield first hand and up close, she had still opened her arms to him. Even while being aware of his violent personality, she had lowered her own barriers and had shared her body with him in such intimate ways it took his breath away.

For all she knew, he could have snapped her neck or could have seriously injured her during their heated exchanges. It was the danger of having a sexual encounter with an untamed beast that brought women to his door. The thrill of placing their body at the mercy the most unpredictable and violent man of the region made them seek him out. Gaara didn't disappoint. Sex was an excellent way to release his aggressive instincts when there wasn't anyone around that he could fight and kill. He gave them what they wanted and left them as soon it was done. When it happened at his hut, they didn't linger either. As if coming to their senses after having their sexual urges satisfied, they remembered who he was and the real threat he posed to their lives. They were out the door before they were able to dress properly.

None of these shallow and meaningless women was aware of the other facet of his inner beast. The part of him that wanted to posses and protect was invisible to the members of the female sex. They were all oblivious to is existence. Not a single one of them realized that all it needed was to be shown some tolerance and acceptance for it to surface.

Sakura, with her forbearance and determined attitude, had done exactly this. Sure, she hadn't done it consciously and had no idea of what it was she was getting into. Nonetheless, she had tamed the beast with a firm yet caring hand. She might insult and scream at him at the top of her lungs but when it came down to it, she had treated his injuries with care and devotion. Sakura had won the interest and the fondness of his inner beast. And once his inner beast got interested, there was no turning back.

Gaara pulled her closer to his side as he considered this, burying his nose in her roseate hair.

Never had his aggressive nature faced the need to place violence on hold. Going out to engage enemies in battle and fight to the death had always been his first priority. But here he was, contemplating what it might be like if he left the killing field and focused his energies exclusively on this unique woman. He was contemplating leaving his life as a warrior and settling for something different. Different could be good; when coupled with the image of Sakura sleeping in his futon every day, different was perfect.

But he didn't have that choice; at least, not now.

There was a neighbouring clan to be brought down and his village needed him. The option of remaining behind simply wasn't thinkable. Of course, this didn't mean he had to like it.

Sighing with annoyance, he put himself to the task of stirring Sakura from her sleep.

The feel of his lips brushing across her cheek before biting down on a corner of her mouth was enough for Sakura to rise from slumber. She moaned softly in complaint and tried to roll over. He didn't let her though, trapped as she was within the embrace of his left arm and the side of his torso. Gaara tightened his hold and caressed her lower back with his fingers.

"It's still early," Sakura complained, her voice groggy with sleep.

"I know," the redhead replied calmly. "But I need you to do something for me."

It was so typical of him, waking her up because of his morning rutting tendencies. Emerald eyes opened enough to glare at him. "This early in the morning, _you'll_ be the one doing all the work."

He laughed at that. "I wasn't implying that but trust me, I wouldn't mind doing all the work myself. Now that you mention it, maybe I should."

Rolling them over within the covers, he landed on top of her. He nibbled on the side of her neck while his hips grinded against her.

"Gaara!" Sakura exclaimed breathlessly.

His inner beast purred at the sound of his name tumbling from her lips in such a way.

Sakura was still not completely awake but her mind had registered his words even though he was doing his best to make her forget them. "If you didn't mean _this_, what did you mean then?"

The redhead stopped his sensual ministrations and turned jade eyes towards her. "I need you to remove my stitches," he told her seriously.

Her eyes widened and she was suddenly very awake. "They're not supposed to come off yet."

"I know," he replied. "But I need to get back out there."

She stated at him silently, taking in the weight of what he was saying.

Gaara knew she might be stubborn about this but he was relentless. He had already wasted enough time with his recovery. Even though it had been a rather pleasurable convalescence, he was needed by his village. He had to make Sakura understand that.

"Removing them now won't make any difference," he said. "I've already healed enough and the wound will not reopen."

"_I'll_ be the judge of that," Sakura replied testily.

He grinned at her temper. "I'm telling the truth. With all the physical activity we've been engaging in, you should know that already."

The fact that she could still blush over what they had been doing, especially in the position they were in at the moment, increased his amusement. But he needed to get his point across. "I need you to remove my stitches so I can train all day today and go back to the front line tomorrow."

"Train? Today?" she exclaimed.

"Yes, today. I can't afford- the _village_ can't afford for me to stay away any longer," he replied firmly.

She was still looking mutinous.

"Sakura, I could be preventing deaths out there."

The truth behind his words registered and she finally sighed in acquiescence. He was absolutely right. As much as she hated the fact that he would be going out there to place himself in the line of fire and risk being hurt again, what he said was true. A warrior of his calibre could not be kept locked up; for the sake of the clan's inhabitants, those who were too weak to defend themselves, Gaara needed to face their enemy.

"Alright," she said, "I'll take them off."

A wicked grin met her words. "I know you want to keep me here as your sex toy but don't worry, we'll have plenty of time for that after this stupid conflict is over."

She opened her mouth to belie his statement but as soon as she drew in a breath, he was kissing her soundly. With that, any complaints she might have were thrown out the window and she lifted her arms around his back to pull him closer.

But as bliss filtered through her at his caresses and encouraging moans, her mind simply couldn't let go of the words he had said to her.

He thought they would have plenty of time? He had to be delusional.

As soon as the conflict was over, she was planning to leave.

XXXXXXXXXX

Ino just laughed at her.

"Well, you can't say you didn't see it coming," she told Sakura in an amused tone.

They were sitting outside the healer's hut again, overlooking the training grounds. Gaara was currently engaged in a spar with another of the village's warriors. Taking off his stitches hadn't taken long and as soon as he was able, he'd forced her to get ready and walked out of the hut. He'd left her at the healer's, where Ino had arrived some time later.

Sakura proceeded to confide about her now intimate relationship with her host. Her friend was more amused by her reaction than by what she was telling her.

"You have to admit it was bound to happen at some point. You can't share the same small living space with such a specimen of a man before succumbing to the temptation. I mean, take Tenten. She gave in a long time before you did."

"True," the pink haired girl admitted ruefully. The weapon master's relationship with Captain Neji had blossomed into something else a while ago. It wasn't exactly common knowledge round the village but people weren't surprised anymore when seeing them together. Tenten had enthusiastically volunteered to help with the fighting and was an active member of Neji's platoon. They had won each other's respect out in the field and had gravitated towards each other like a couple of magnets. Sakura wished her friend happy and suspected she would be coming back to the clan's territory once their mission to the Forest Kingdom was completed.

But her situation wasn't the same as Tenten's. Captain Neji was an understanding and thoughtful man. You could talk to him and he would listen to your argument before forming an opinion. He wasn't volatile or moody and he did _not_ insult Tenten just to see what made her tick. Neji was not a caveman who wanted to lock up her friend in his hut and never let her out again. He was a perceptive and dedicated man. Having a relationship with him would be any girl's dream.

This was definitely _not_ Sakura's case. From what Gaara had told her and the way he'd behaved during the past few days, it was easy to think he planned on keeping Sakura in his house for the rest of her life. This prospect filled her with such intense dread and discontent she felt an urgent need to run away. Problem was, she couldn't go anywhere.

She has spent recent days solely in Gaara's company and had enjoyed every minute of it. But that was the problem. While in his arms, Sakura simply wasn't able to think. Her rationality flew out the window as soon as she felt the touch of his fingertips or the scrape of his teeth on her skin. Gaara dominated her senses completely and she couldn't help being overpowered.

In a way, this terrified her. She had never lost herself so completely because of a man before. If this continued, she would inevitably lose all contact with the assertive and independent part of herself. And this was a part of her personality she valued over everything else. Sakura couldn't afford to lose herself, no matter how blissful and perfect her encounters with the redhead were.

Problem was, these doubts had only surfaced when she had parted company with the redhead. They had come crawling up from the shadows for the past few hours and refused to back down. If this was something she felt so strongly about, why had she thought of it until now?

'Because you've been immersed in a haze of pleasure and you simply _weren't_ thinking' she thought, immensely frustrated with herself. 'As soon as he kisses you again, you'll regress back to where you started.'

Sakura swallowed visibly as she thought of the implications of permanently falling under Gaara's domineering influence.

"It might have been inevitable but I think this it's going too far," she confessed to her friend.

"What do you mean?" Ino asked with a puzzled frown.

"I think he wants me to stay here," she said in a disturbed tone.

Blue eyes blinked at her. "Why would you think that?"

"Because he told me!"

Noting the desperate tone in her friend's voice, Ino reached out to lay a hand her arm. "He can't think that. You've got a mission to fulfil."

"You have no idea of how possessive he is," Sakura said. "These past few days, he didn't allowed me to go out of his sight. He always has to know where I am. Even now, look where I'm sitting. He glances this way every few minutes to make sure I'm still sitting here."

Ino turned to surreptitiously survey the training grounds and realized Sakura was right. "Hmm, I see what you mean. I guess you could just talk to him and tell him to back off."

Sakura barked out an incredulous laugh. "That's the problem. You _can't_ talk to Gaara. He thinks he's right all the time. Imagine the verbal war we'll have if I voice my thoughts."

"Is that panic in your voice?" Ino asked, eyeing her friend cautiously.

"Maybe!" she exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation. "I feel like I've walked willingly into a trap and a cage has landed on top of me."

"Sakura, you need to calm down. Just breathe." The blond lifted her hand to clasp her shoulder, giving her a little shake. "I think you're reading too much into this."

"That might be true," she replied, breathing out deeply, "but it doesn't change the way I feel."

"What are you planning to do?"

"I'm not going to do anything. He can believe whatever he wants but when the time comes, I'm leaving... and I don't plan on coming back. Can you imagine what it'd be like to live in this place permanently? I don't know how Tenten is going to pull it off."

Ino shivered at the prospect. She wholeheartedly agreed. Personally, she couldn't wait to get the hell out of the clan's territory. Sure, the people here were immensely nice, despite their gruff exterior, and they had gone out of their way to make them feel welcome. But actually living here? Sakura was right. They needed to go back to their home city as soon as they possibly could.

Still, not saying things to Gaara might present a rather bigger problem than her friend thought. "I don't think he'd handle you _not_ telling him that you're leaving very well."

"Exactly," Sakura agreed. "That's why I won't."

Ino still seemed unconvinced. "He might tie you up or drug you so you sign a marriage contract."

"Ha!" her friend exclaimed with narrowed eyes. "Let him try!"

"Do you really dislike him that much?" the blond asked with an incredulous look.

"I don't dislike him," Sakura admitted with a sigh, "quite the opposite. The man makes me forget everything else whenever he's close. He's a talented warrior and an admirable leader, despite his violent temper. He possesses this intensity in everything he does... he tackles life with such fervour, it's breathtaking sometimes. But none of that matters, at least not in our circumstance."

Ino was giving her a sly glance. Her friend truly sounded like a woman in love, even if she didn't want to admit it. Sakura was letting her head get in the way of her heart. This wasn't surprising in the least; being a medic, she tended to let her brain make the decisions at all times. This whole thing seemed to be a chance for her to learn to do otherwise. But from the looks of it, she was resisting admirably. Ino suspected the temperamental redhead some distance away was going to be a hard lesson Sakura would forget.

"It's just that his life here has nothing to do with mine," Sakura was saying. "We're complete opposites. As much as we get along, in our weird bickering sort of way, it just wouldn't work out. Besides, he's made his life here in this village and I've made mine back home. There's just no reconciling the two of them."

As she said the words, the pink haired girl fought a terrible ache in her chest. It was a truth she had been fighting not to acknowledge. Living here wasn't an option for her, she knew that much. She'd go completely insane. Moreover, she had her life back home and wanted to return to it. Gaara had his life here too. He was one of the best fighters in the village and was highly respected among the clan. She couldn't ask him to leave all that behind for her sake. He'd worked to get to where he was just like she had worked for her own goals. Despite what was blossoming between them, there was nothing she could do about it. Even if his caresses took her breath away and his kisses made her forget all else in the world, reality couldn't be ignored. It was best for her to come to terms with it as soon as possible.

Sakura had known their relationship wouldn't go anywhere from the very beginning. Nothing would change that; not their discovery of each other's bodies or the perfect way their skin blended together.

It was best to make the best of the time they had together and, when the time came for them to go their separate ways, to let it all go.

"So you're making the decision for him?" Ino asked.

The pink haired girl sighed. "I think it's better that way."

"He'd definitely disagree with that," her friend replied. "But suit yourself."

In a way, Ino was completely right. But talking with Gaara about their supposed future together wasn't an option. They simply didn't have a future. As much as this prospect made her heart ache, it was only fit for her to be honest with herself.

Of course, thinking she needed to let all this go was a lot easier than doing it.

After training some hours later, Gaara had made his way to the healer's hut so they could walk back together. As they headed back towards his house, being in his presence felt so right it almost reduced her to tears. The fact that he was going back to the front lines tomorrow wasn't helping either. Even if she couldn't have a life together with him in the time to come, it didn't mean she wouldn't worry about him in the present.

"You're brooding over something," he commented.

Damn the man! Why the hell did he only ask about her mood when it had to do with him?

"Says who?" she countered testily.

He graced her with a sidelong glance. "I don't have a problem if you want to make this difficult. I'll just ask the question again while you're climax-"

"You insufferable ass!" she hissed, cutting him short so the people they were passing by didn't hear the end of his sentence. "If you really have to know, I'm upset over you."

He blinked. "Over me? What the hell have _I_ done to get you all worked up?" he replied angrily.

She sighed. "You haven't done anything... yet."

Jade eyes glared down at her. "So you're upset with me for something I haven't done?"

"Yes," she answered. Suddenly, it was extremely fun to get him all riled up.

He muttered something under his breath which sounded very much like a scathing insult.

Sakura giggled, the tension she'd felt all day easing unexpectedly. But this only angered him further. They had reached the hut by then and she proceeded to open the door. But the moment she did so, she was swooped up into the redhead's arms.

"Hey!" she complained as he sat down on the tatami and was deposited on his lap.

"Are you going to tell me what this is all about or am I going to have to take your clothes off to interrogate you?"

"Arrogant bastard." But her smile belied her words.

"Well?" he snapped impatiently.

"Fine," Sakura replied with a sigh. "I'm upset with you because you're going back out there tomorrow."

His annoyed expression disappeared, replaced by the look of melting jade that never failed to touch something deep inside her. "You're worried about me?"

"Of course I'm worried about you," she replied, irritated. Hadn't the way she'd nurtured him back to health been enough evidence of that? "It's a war, after all."

Gaara lifted a hand to caress her hair. "Nothing will happen to me."

She snorted. "You can't know that. You can't predict what'll happen."

"Are you questioning my prowess as a fighter?" he asked with a superior look.

"No, it's just that-"

He silenced her with a hot kiss. A few breathless moments later, he pulled away and surveyed her with an amused glance.

"I'll come back to you," he promised haughtily. "You'll have your sex toy back each night."

The conceited prick! This only reinforced the fact that it was impossible for her to talk to him. Sakura grinded her teeth as her temper rose to the fore. "If that's the case, I don't have to worry. If you kick the bucket I can look for a sex toy elsewhere!"

His eyes hardened so fast it was as if they had suddenly frozen. That had certainly been the wrong thing to say. But Sakura didn't care; if he wanted to downplay their relationship to being just sex, she wasn't going to contradict him.

"You're not going anywhere," he replied with a fierce whisper. His hands lifted to the front of the vest she was wearing and tore it open. Hot tongue and sharp teeth descended upon her skin. Sakura could do nothing but elicit a helpless whimper as he reignited the fire that was never truly dormant whenever they were in each other's presence.

She let him stoke her body into flames without any attempt to stop him. He was returning to the battlefield tomorrow, after all. Enjoying the possessiveness of his caresses once again wasn't going to change the end result of their liaison, so she might as well lose herself in it. His tongue coveted every inch of her skin, just like her fingertips yearned to touch the honed muscles of his body. Something deep inside of her wanted to memorise how every crook and cranny of his skin felt like. She fell victim to the impulse and helped to make the heat between them unbearable.

If the remainder of her stay under his roof meant she would be constantly immersed in this scorching blaze, she wouldn't mind if he turned her to ash.

XXXXXXXXXX

"_You're not going anywhere_," a dark voice hissed as sand buried her limbs and invaded her mouth. It filled her throat relentlessly until she choked, her lungs caving from lack of air.

With a start, she sat upright like a bolt upon the futon.

It was morning already and Gaara had already left. She had woken up before dawn to say goodbye to him and had fallen asleep again afterwards.

Her jagged breathing echoed throughout the empty house, resounding loudly in her ears. She tried to decrease her heart to beat to a normal rhythm again but it was some minutes before the sinister vision of her nightmare vanished enough for her to calm down.

Gaara had said those words the day before and he had meant them. At the time, Sakura had been too distracted by his love making to pay much attention to them. But now they were coming back.

Her dream wasn't at all hard to understand. The choking feeling brought by the possibility of being trapped in this clan's village perpetually was easy to recognize. The mere thought of never going back home was enough to make her feel suffocated. The possessive way Gaara had said the words didn't help either. The Gods only knew what lengths he might go to just to keep her here. His infatuation towards her was increasing by the minute and didn't bode well for her plans.

She harboured feelings towards the redhead, that much had been made terribly clear over the past days. The spark of attraction between them had turned into lightning once they shared their bodies intimately. If given the right circumstances, it could grow to become something even deeper. Problem was, the circumstances _weren't_ right. She became even more aware of that by the minute.

Gaara was caging her and she didn't like it. He was making her feel trapped, much like she had felt when she walked into the village with her companions for the first time. It made her feel in captivity, something that didn't sit well with her independent personality.

His sensuous ministrations could make her forget things temporarily. While in his arms, there was nothing that made her feel threatened. On the contrary, she felt amazingly safe and protected. But Sakura was no fool and wouldn't allow herself to be tricked. Something inside her rose to the fore whenever she was allowed a moment away from him. Her freedom didn't have a price; she knew that much. No matter how pleasurable sharing his futon was, the pink haired medic wasn't about to sacrifice her autonomy.

Given the first opportunity, she was going to leave.

Gaara would just have to live with that.

* * *

As usual, let me know what you think!


	8. Set Loose

**A/N: **Life swallowed me whole. There was nothing I could do about it. Luckily, it spit me back out and allowed me to get down to business.

This fic was already finished but after going over it, I had to re-write the whole ending because I just wasn't satisfied with it. It's done though, so I'll have it up soon.

My deepest apologies for the long delay!

* * *

**CHAPTER VIII – SET LOOSE**

*******

Sakura had reached a decision and no matter what occurred in the meantime, she was not backing down.

No matter how her heart clenched whenever he came back home at the end of the day, battered and bloodied, only to have his jade eyes light up at the sight of her. Without caring for his tired state, he would always tease her and bicker, as if trying to lessen the tension she was emanating. Allegedly, he thought her anxiety was due to his going away to fight every day and did his best whenever he came back to distract her.

Gaara was, to a certain extent, right. The fretfulness Sakura felt had to do with him facing danger constantly but only partly. As one half of her fretted over the perils he faced at the hands of the clan's notorious enemies, the other half worried about the eminent parting of their ways. It could be said that she was feeling guilty about leading him on and not contradicting his idea of her staying after the conflict had ended. But then again, she constantly reminded herself that she didn't have much of a choice. Despite being torn in two over her affection towards him, Sakura refused to change her mind.

It was easier to stick to her guns surreptitiously and grit her teeth than to face Gaara's possessiveness and violent nature head on. She told herself this again and again, repeating it like a mantra inside her mind.

But whenever she was sleeping beside him or caught him sitting out on the hut's terrace, back to the wall and his eyes closed from fatigue, it was hard not to feel pangs of guilty. The little relief he found in his life of constant combat and unending aggression came from her. In a way, she realized she was the only part of his life that wasn't related to warfare in any way. Even in times of peace, he was charged with protecting the village and seeing to its defences. Sakura didn't know how Gaara managed to live such a life but she guessed it had to do with the clan's traditions. He was, after all, the Chieftain's brother.

She was the only person with whom he talked about things that had nothing to do with the ongoing conflict. It wasn't hard to guess this was the reason why he made such a great effort to come back to her every day. Even when he was forced to spend the night out in the front lines, he always sent her a message with one of the runners. And when he did spend the night away, he always arrived as early as he could the next day.

As it was usually the case with her emotions these days, she was divided in two over this. Seeing him take such measures towards her was terribly endearing. Coming from a man like him, they were akin to him shouting his affection towards her at the top of his lungs. Then again, something inside her bristled whenever he acted in such a way. It made her feel agonizingly like a _wife_.

Whenever she thought of that word, her chest would constrict in dread and her legs felt the urgent need to run towards the nearest exit. Imagine her, highly qualified medic and experienced professional of the field, being forced to live within this tiny hut, limited to dealing with children's coughs or assuaging the menstrual pain of the women in the village. Or maybe, if she got lucky, she might be able to mend a broken bone once in a while. There was surely nothing else to do here during times of peace. There was no medical research to tackle or any aspiring students to teach. There was no chance of learning new techniques or applying them.

It would be like dying a slow and agonizing death.

Her lungs constricted and she was suddenly finding it very hard to breathe.

Standing up in a quick motion, she made a dash for the door.

"Where are you going?" Gaara asked from where he was sitting in a corner, going over the daily reports of the other squads.

Sakura could have screamed in frustration. She gulped down the rising apprehension of his obsessive need to know of her whereabouts.

"I just need to get some fresh air," she replied a little shakily. Before waiting for him to reply, she rushed through the doorframe and made her way into the night.

The redhead narrowed his eyes at her retreating form but made no move to go after her. She knew she couldn't go very far due to the curfews Temari had placed over the village so he didn't worry about her safety. What did concern him was the way she had suddenly thrown a silent mental fit and had made a quick escape.

If she thought he was ignorant to whatever inner turmoil she was facing, she was utterly mistaken. Admittedly, he didn't know exactly what was going in her mind but he could read the signs of her behaviour easily enough. Gaara had survived this long out on the battlefield because he was an expert in reading people. Sakura was no exception. As a matter of fact, by living with her after some time and sharing his futon with her, he was more tuned to her mental state than to anyone else's. There was something making her anxious, there was no doubt about that, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Hence, whatever was going on in her pretty little head was starting to get on his nerves. Take this most recent outburst, for example. He was about to finish with his reports and suggest calling it a night; but there she went, running out the door and ruining his plans. At one point, he thought being together with him all the time was making her edgy. He admitted he wasn't exactly an easy person to deal with and they were bound to chafe if they spent every single moment of their waking life together. As much as his possessive inner beast wanted to know where she was at all times, it also realized it could choke her rather easily. If she asked him to back off, he would; it was a testament of how much she had been able to tame the beast of the sands. But she hadn't told him anything. Sakura was outspoken by nature and he was sure she wouldn't hesitate to voice her opinion, especially when it came to him. She had graced him with the remarks of her biting tongue more than once. Besides, these days they only saw each other for a few hours after sunset. It was a situation that didn't sit very well with him but there was nothing he could about it. So he came back home as quickly as he could and tried his best to make her think of other things.

Like the feel of his tongue moving up the inside of her thighs or the delectable friction of their sweaty skin as they moved against each other.

His distractions worked, there was no doubt about that. Sakura ended up so satisfied and exhausted, she didn't have the energy to think about anything else. But Gaara was sure that during the day, when she spent her time mostly alone or in the company of Ino, she fretted and worried. The inevitability of forcing her to speak was clearly approaching. She detested whenever he made inquiries about what she termed as her 'personal' life but he was far from caring. Whatever she was fighting against inside her head, it was affecting him; therefore, he had the right to know what it was and eradicate its source. After all, his inner beast became rather irritated whenever her pretty face contorted into an anxious frown.

In a way, it hurt to know she didn't trust him enough to speak openly to him. The vulnerable facet of her personality was there but she wasn't showing it to him. Despite what they had shared, she still held things back. He didn't begrudge her this; after all, there were parts of him he was reluctant to share with her and wasn't sure he'd ever reveal while in her presence. Nonetheless, there was no denying that his inner beast felt a tad resentful due to her lack of openness.

Gaara had shown uncharacteristic patience when it came to Sakura but it was quickly coming to an end. He would have his answers and he would have them soon. Making her speak may prove difficult; even so, he was confident enough in his resources. He'd get the truth from her even if he had to use every trick in the book to obtain it.

Satisfied with this conclusion, he proceeded to lay out his futon. After putting away the reports he had been reading, he stripped completely and stretched face down upon the thin mattress. He crossed his arms beneath his chin and closed his eyes, dozing slightly while he waited for Sakura to return.

She found him in such a position ten minutes later, when she finally deigned to come back to the hut. The slight intake of her breath as she took in his naked frame wasn't lost on him and he grinned impishly. She truly was hopeless when it came to hiding her reactions; it was one of the reasons why he could read her so well.

"Close the door and douse the lights," he told her without opening his eyes.

She did as he told her and by the time she finally crawled into the futon with him, Gaara was happy to find she had stripped completely as well. Pulling her towards him, he purred in satisfaction at the feel of her smooth skin. Despite the numerous times they had been in a similar position, her softness never ceased to provoke amazement within him.

"I was going to ask just what the hell that little tantrum was all about but I decided against it," he confessed, his lips next to her ear in the darkness. "I thought of better things to do with my time."

As he rolled over and pinned her down to the futon with his muscular frame, his tongue found all the places that made her cry out without the need for any light. She made things easy for him and wrapped her legs round his hips, pulling him down and making him give her what she wanted. She craved the sweet oblivion of forgetfulness she found when she crested the tidal wave of pleasure he brought every time they came together. Lost in their whispers and moans, her mind went blissfully blank.

All in all, she was thankful for the darkness.

It meant he couldn't see the trace of tears she had been shedding minutes before under the night sky.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Sakura, it's our chance!" Tenten shouted.

She was running towards her friends at full speed, ignoring the curious glances the villagers were throwing her way.

"What do you mean?" Ino asked, voice full of expectant surprise. She was sitting next to Sakura on top of one of the large boulders that littered the landscape. They had just shared a quick lunch and were sipping some of the cold tea the region was famous for.

"They've called a truce!" Tenten exclaimed breathlessly, jumping up on top of the large stone. She leaned forward, palms on her knees as she tried to recover her breath. "The fighting's stopped. The Chieftains of both clans have agreed on a cease fire while they discuss possible terms for peace. But nothing's for certain yet. The fighting could recommence again if something goes wrong."

Both of her friends were staring at with utter disbelief. Her words simply weren't registering.

"We can leave?" Ino asked in astonishment, not wanting to believe the amazing news.

"We have a small window of opportunity," Tenten replied with a nod. "Neji believes there's a really big chance that the fighting will start again. The enemy Chieftain isn't easy to negotiate with but Temari's willing to take the chance. If we leave, we need to leave _now_."

Sakura's emerald eyes couldn't get any wider. This was the situation she had been anticipating and dreading for many long days.

"We need to get our things and leave immediately. Neji has offered to escort us to the north border. He can send a messenger bird to the Forest Kingdom so they can meet us once we're beyond the clan's territory. It's your call, Sakura."

Ino turned pleading eyes to her friend. This was the chance they had been waiting for since they arrived on that fateful night two months before. They would be able to leave.

The pink haired medic was struck speechless. The turmoil of emotions she had been keeping at bay broke the dam and flooded through her in an instant. She thought she was going to be sick.

Thankfully, she could always count on her friends to get her back on track.

"Sakura" Tenten exclaimed forcefully, bringing her back to the moment. "You're the leader of this mission. You need to decide and you need to decide now."

Thoughts of Gaara swam through her brain but were immediately replaced by thoughts of Naruto and his worry for his wife. She had set out a long time ago from her own home to help a friend in need; it was her duty as a medic. This wasn't the time to back away from that.

Her head cleared as she remembered what her initial goal was. She was a doctor first and foremost. It was adamant for her never to forget that. Living in this village wasn't her place. No matter how attached she had become to the redhead, her life wasn't meant to be lived out here. Steeling her resolve, she turned determined emerald eyes towards Tenten.

"Let's do this."

"Yosh!" Ino exclaimed, jumping up from her sitting position. "How much time do we have?"

Tenten smiled at Sakura. "Neji told me to meet him at the village gates in twenty minutes. Bring whatever food you can pack. It's a six hour hike to the border if we're lucky and if the weather holds. I'm sure I don't need to remind you of the sandstorms up north. After that, we're on our own for a couple of days until we can make it into the Forest Kingdom. I'm sure Naruto will send his men immediately to meet us but we'll still need to bring supplies."

Both her friends nodded, picking up the remainders of their lunch hurriedly. Sakura was already locating her things inside her mind and making an inventory of the food she might be able to take with her. Even so, she was interrupted by a sudden thought.

As they were walking briskly back to the village, she reached out and grabbed Tenten's arm. "How about you?" she asked seriously. "Are you sure you want to leave?"

The weapon's master simply smiled. "I'm completely ok with it. Neji and I have talked about it. We both know my duty lies with you. When you don't need me anymore, I'll make my way back. But in the meantime, I'm part of your team and I'm going to stick with you no matter what... like I've always done."

Sakura squeezed her arm in sincere appreciation. It was true. All three of them had met when they were young and had stuck together through thick and thin. It wasn't going to be different this time around.

Still, her heart clenched painfully at her friends admission of talking to Neji. Sakura terribly wished she had been able to do the same. What she was about to do was going to be one of the most painful experiences of her life.

They parted ways at the village square and moved quickly towards their temporary homes. Reaching Gaara's hut, Sakura wasted no time in gathering her things. She didn't have much time and needed to make sure she didn't forget any of her medical supplies. There were quite a number of new herbs she had picked up from the clan's healer and needed to pack them properly.

All in all, she was pretty efficient and managed to get most of her things in her pack in record timing. There was nothing she could do about the wet laundry hanging behind the house so she would have to leave it behind. She also packed the dried meat and the rest of the bread stashed in the kitchen. Silently apologizing to Gaara for taking his food, she could only hope he understood.

This line of thought led her directly to the place in her mind she was avoiding. It had occurred to her that she should write him a farewell letter... or at least leave a note. But she just couldn't bring herself to do it. What would she say, anyway? Thank you for the great sex and hope you have a good life?

She snorted at that.

All the things she wanted to say, to give but couldn't do so face to face simply wouldn't fit into a commonplace sheet of paper. The things she had experienced with him, the small moments they had shared in each other's arms... all the times he had driven her insane with anger and had ticked her off with his arrogant smirk. It was all simply too much to summarize within the limited space paper could offer. It was best to take what she had of him and let him go.

Sakura could only hope he would be able to do the same.

Putting on her cloak and strapping her pack to her back, she took one last look around the hut to make sure she wasn't forgetting anything. She noticed a discarded gi of Gaara's thrown on the tatami in the corner. Before she could stop herself, she reached down and picked it up. His smell emanated clearly from it as she pressed it to her nose and buried her face in it for a few blissful seconds. This was the last time she would ever be able to smell him and she wanted to memorise his scent so it could last her a lifetime.

A traitorous tear trickled down her cheek as she finally pulled away. Gritting her resolve, she folded the gi and placed it on top of the folded futon. Her hand leaned down and lovingly caressed the mattress they had shared until then.

All the experiences with Gaara were something she would never forget.

But right now, she had a life to recover and she was not stepping away from this opportunity.

With this thought in mind, she crossed the threshold of the hut and closed the shouji door behind her one last time.

XXXXXXXXXX

It was night time when they finally reached the border. Neji had been pushing them hard all the way, wanting to make sure they left the clan's territory safely. None of the three women begrudged him for it; on the contrary, they welcomed the physical exertion and set themselves up to the challenge.

Each one had their reasons for wanting to push themselves...reasons enough to allow them to rest as little as possible and continue on their journey through the arid terrain.

Ino desperately wanted to get back to civilization while Tenten wanted to finish with her assignment so she could return to her lover once more.

Sakura was pushing herself so her physical exhaustion would prevent her from thinking of the man who had surely arrived at his hut near sunset and found it empty. Try as she might, she couldn't hide the symptoms she was suffering: a broken heart wasn't easy to ignore. Not hers and definitely not his. Even though she couldn't exactly say if Gaara would be heartbroken over her but she was sure he would not welcome her disappearance. He would rant and rave over it; of that she was completely sure. In a way, he might also see it as betrayal.

This last thought pushed the already buried dagger in her heart further. But Sakura steeled herself and kept going. It had been her choice, after all. If these were the consequences of affirming the life she wanted to lead, so be it. She would grit her teeth through the heartache and swallow her tears.

No pain, no gain. Sacrifices had to be made in life whenever you wanted something. Her life as a medic was something she had fought for since she was very young. She wasn't about to give up on it... not now, not ever.

They camped two kilometres on the other side of the border. Once they had crossed over, the evident tension in Neji's shoulders lessened and he allowed them to stop for the night. The women could have continued for a couple more hours but in consideration for Tenten, Ino and Sakura came to a silent agreement that they would camp as close to the border as possible. They wanted their friend to share once last night with the man she had found. It was the least they could give her.

When Sakura saw the weapon master and Neji walk hand in hand into the dark night to find a private place to lie down nearby, she thought she would die from the acute pain in her chest. She collapsed on her bedroll as soon as she could, arms crossed over her face so that Ino could not see her tears. Knowing her inner turmoil, her friend left her alone and huddled into her own bedroll as soon as she could. As exhausted as she was, Sakura's mind wouldn't go blank.

Neji had told them the Chieftain would be starting the negotiation dialogues in the morning. It was a tedious process due to all the protocols when it came to dealing with another clan and Chieftains from neighbouring territories would be called forth to serve as witnesses. Temari had long days ahead of her if she wanted the peace to hold. Kankurou and Gaara would be present beside her at all times, serving as bodyguards and as advisors.

'At least he'll be busy' she thought miserably.

It was a long time before sleep claimed her but when it finally did, Sakura mercifully slept like a rock.

The next day, she refused to witness Neji and Tenten's leave-taking in an attempt to retain her sanity. They parted ways with the captain after thanking him profusely and made their way as fast as they could over the terrain. The landscape suddenly changed and the arid land stated giving way to grassy meadows until they could see the immense forest at the base of the mountains to the east.

Sakura pushed them almost at the same rhythm Neji had. Neither of her friends complained and she was thankful for it. In the state she was in, she wasn't sure she would have been able to cope with any kind of arguments. She could either slash out at them or crumble into a pile of tears. Such sensibility irritated her terribly but the incessant sting in her chest didn't give her much of a choice.

They camped that night under the shadow of a grassy hill, covering themselves as best as they could from the wind. Conversation was subdued; Ino tried her best to cheer Sakura up. Even though her attempts worked during dinner and she managed to make all of them laugh a couple of times, by the time they were settled inside their bedrolls, misery returned to the medic.

By midmorning the next day, they had almost reached the large trees of the forest. The edge of the woods marked the border of Naruto's kingdom. Sakura breathed out in relief at the sight and quickened their already hurried pace.

But before they reached the wood, a high pitched call of a bird resounded through the air. The three women stopped in their tracks and looked all around them. After a couple of minutes, a group of men appeared around the next grassy hill and started making their way towards them.

Sakura smiled and stepped forwards hurriedly.

The man in the front pulled back the hood of the cloak he was wearing to reveal a shock of bright blond hair. At the sight of the medic, he started running.

"After the travails you've been through just to get here, the least I could do was come out to meet you personally," Naruto told her with a huge smile when he was just a few paces away.

Sakura didn't answer; she couldn't form any words. The tight leash she had over her emotional control snapped at the sight of her childhood friend. She simply stepped into Naruto's outstretched arms and buried her face in his shoulder, trying her best to swallow the uncontrollable sob that made its way up her throat.

* * *

Read and review, guys!


	9. Caught Once More

**A/N:** And it's done!

Thanks for your patience, everyone. I'm amazingly grateful for it.

* * *

**CHAPTER IX – CAUGHT ONCE MORE**

*******

"Well, we all wish you the best of luck," Temari said, engulfing her youngest brother in a hug. "You'll be solely missed around here."

Gaara let out a noncommittal grunt as she released him, turning towards Kankurou. His brother grasped his shoulder affectionately. "Make sure you write often."

"I wouldn't count on it," the redhead replied with a devious grin, making his brother chuckle.

The three of them were standing at the village gates, saying goodbyes in the early hours just before dawn.

A few of days before, the negotiations with the hostile clan that had threatened them with war for months had finally come to an end. Peace had been attained and from the treaties that had been signed, it seemed like it would hold for some time. The whole diplomatic process had been a tedious affair and Gaara had been on the verge of losing his patience more than once. The representatives of all the different clans that had been called upon to witness the meeting had been rather difficult to handle; each of them had wanted to get something out of the whole situation for their respective clans, resulting in long, dreary discussions. It was a lucky circumstance that Gaara wasn't in his sister's shoes; he would've started snapping necks almost as soon as they sat down to negotiate.

Thankfully, it was all over and done with. Normal life had resumed once more in the village. Thus, as soon as the peace in the clan's territory had been ascertained, the redhead had commenced with the process of delegating his responsibilities.

He was leaving. He'd made that clear to Temari as soon as the fighting had ended.

His sister, being the perceptive woman she was, had smiled knowingly and had given him her blessing. He had done enough for the clan during the long years of his life; it was time he headed out in pursuit of his own personal happiness. She refused to keep him caged any longer.

But before he could follow in the wake of a certain roseate haired medic, Gaara needed to make sure his duties were equally distributed between the captains who remained. His platoon needed to be disbanded and its members placed in other squads. It made for some sad scenes on behalf of his loyal fighters but they all respected his decision. Naturally, all of them had arranged a farewell bash for him, wishing him the best while at the same time celebrating the end of the long fighting.

It was the reason why he had been able to escape until now, when the sun's rays were starting to peek over the horizon.

"You should get some rest but I know it's useless to make you wait another day," Temari said in a resigned tone.

"You've got that right," Gaara replied, shouldering his gourd and pack. "I've wasted enough time as it is."

"At least you know she's not going anywhere," Kankurou said. "From what Naruto said in his message, she'll be staying there for a while."

"Good," the redhead said, looking up at the lightening sky. "If I get to the Forest Kingdom and she's not there, there'll be hell to pay." There was an urgency in his voice that hadn't been there before... at least, not before Sakura had unintentionally stumbled into their village.

Temari smiled. It seemed her little brother was finally learning to open his heart.

"Hai hai, we know," she replied, waving her hand. "Godspeed, little brother."

Turning to look at them one last time, the redhead smiled at them. The next second he summoned his sand, and with a quick salute, he was immersed in a whirlwind before disappearing.

"Well, that's that," Kankurou said.

"Indeed," Temari answered, turning to walk back into the village. "Now all we can do is hope he doesn't blow it when he gets there."

Her brother sighed in agreement as he fell into step beside her.

XXXXXXXXXX

"Thank you, Sakura," Hinata said, leaning back on the comfy chair they had brought out unto the balcony.

"No need to mention it," the medic replied as she plumped up some of pillows behind the dark haired woman.

Sakura had always known she would unravel the mystery of Hinata's strange rash if she diagnosed her personally. Pinpointing exactly what it was that was causing her skin complaint in only two days after her arrival was a true testament of her skill. She had stormed into the King and Queen's suite without waiting for permission and had looked in every crook and cranny for anything suspicious. For a long time she had thought Hinata was suffering from a kind of allergy. In the end, her instincts didn't let her down.

The extra pillows that had been brought to their bed when her pregnancy started were made with the feathers of a bird foreign to the region. They were imported from Gods knew where because the Lady deserved the best and her husband was keen on pampering her. It turned out she was extremely sensitive to these feathers. That was why the rash had spread from her neck and shoulders down her back; this was the area where she came in contact with the pillows every day. A triumphant cackle elicited from Sakura's lips when Hinata tested positive while scratching her skin with one of the feathers.

The mystery was solved and the pillows removed. Naruto had gone so far as to suggest for them to be burned after having caused him such worries. Sakura told him to stop being an idiot; he could give them to her and she'd put them to good use in the guest room she was occupying.

Still, Hinata had been exposed to the pillows for months and removing them wouldn't make her rash leave immediately. Sakura had commenced treatment and a week after she had arrived at the palace, the Lady's skin was finally returning to normal. The stinging was gone but the redness was slower in diminishing. There was nothing to worry about anymore, though. All they had to do was make sure Hinata wasn't exposed to the feathers ever again.

Naruto had made Sakura promise him she would stay until his wife was completely cured. After rolling her eyes at his over-protectiveness, she had happily agreed. Spending some time in their company would do wonders to her morose emotional state.

The morning was sunny as both women sat down to read on the terrace overlooking one of the gardens. Sakura chose a spot on the grass to one side of Hinata's chair, browsing lazily through a short story book she had picked up from the library. In all honesty, she had absolutely no interest in reading; she was here solely because the Lady had asked her to keep her company this morning. Despite her pregnancy, Hinata still had all kinds of duties to fulfil. It was part of being who she was. Marrying the kingdom's leader came with responsibilities, after all. It was strange to have a morning off and Sakura was more than happy to spend it quietly. Even though she didn't want to read, she wanted to avoid thinking for a while.

Despite it being a little over a week since their arrival, the pink haired medic felt it had been ages since their escapade. Her misery had lessened to a low pulsing ache in her chest but had not disappeared entirely. There were still certain thoughts that triggered it into a full blown onslaught, though. She found herself breathing heavily and fighting back tears whenever that happened. Visions of red hair and cruel smiles would invade her mind, flooding her in memories she was trying very hard to forget.

Naruto's reaction to the whole thing hadn't helped either.

"Gaara of the Sands!?" he'd exclaimed in disbelief. They had been lounging in his private sitting room a couple of nights after her arrival and the pink haired medic had proceeded to give him a full blown confession without even having to be asked.

The blond had stared at her with a look of utter and complete shock. But after a few seconds, he had dissolved into a fit of loud laughter. Sakura had sobered him up with a whack over the head.

"Well, to be honest, I think you two would go great together," he said while massaging his scalp on the spot where she'd clobbered him.

All anger had dissipated at his words, a lump forming in her throat.

"I mean, the two of you are opposites in lots of aspects but you're also similar. Both of you are stubborn-", he ducked another blow aimed for his head as he said this, "and aggressive. But you're both steadfastly loyal towards the people you care about. I know Gaara's personality can be rather tricky if you don't know how to deal with him but otherwise, he's a great guy."

Listening to her friend sum things up in such a concise manner made guilt and misery overwhelm her. Naruto noticed the change in her demeanour and leaned forward to place his hand over hers.

"But if you didn't want to be with him, then there's no discussing anything," he told her with a sweet smile.

"It's not that I didn't want to be with him, it's just that..." Sakura attempted to explain, "he made me feel caged and trapped. Like if I didn't have another choice but to stay cooped up in his hut for the rest of my life doing the housework."

Naruto eyed her curiously. "Don't you think it was possible he was behaving that way because there was a _war_ going on?"

"I thought about that but I don't think so. I mean, the girls and I went out on missions and helped out. He knew I could take care of myself if it came to that. I'm not exactly helpless, you know."

"Boy, do I know that," Naruto admitted ruefully. "But let me tell you something. There's a big difference when it comes to seeing the woman you care about in a fight." He signalled with his head towards the door leading to the adjacent bedroom, where Hinata was currently sleeping. "You may know she's the best fighter out there and that she can kick a man's ass into kingdom come. Hell, she can be the heiress of a bloodline technique! But this knowledge doesn't change the fact that whenever you see her engaged in battle, your guts turn into a painful knot of dread. Each of the blows aimed at her is meant to maim or kill her. You break into a cold sweat and your protective instincts rise from the dark depths, demanding you annihilate the bastard that's trying to hurt her, no matter who they are."

Sakura was staring at him with a curious expression on her face. Never had she been privy to this facet of her friend's personality.

"I know it can sound over-protective or whatever," he continued to say, "but it happens. It takes a long time to deal with it and learn to control it. It's got nothing to do with thinking that your woman can't handle the situation. Her skills and power don't come into the equation. It's all about protecting the one you care about. Now, this is coming from me, a guy who's laid back and easygoing. Can you imagine what it must be like for Gaara, with his possessiveness and temper?"

She surveyed her friend with wide eyes. Suddenly, circumstances were shifting into a whole different perspective.

"Of course he was going to lock you up!" Naruto said with a dark chuckle. "But that doesn't mean he'd keep doing it. I know him really well and he's an intelligent man. I'm sure he's aware that he'd suffocate you in no time if he continued like that. Sure, he might've overdone it, there's no doubt about that. I'm sure it would take a while...ok, maybe a _long_ time in his case for him to learn to deal with his over-protectiveness but he'd come around eventually. Still, I can understand where he's coming from, especially when there was a war going on."

Emerald eyes blinked up at him, thoughtful. "Ok, everything you're saying makes sense. But this whole scenario implies that he's _in love_ with me. I think that highly unlikely."

Naruto barked out an incredulous laugh. "Sakura, any man would fall in love with you. I had a crush on you for years, as you well know! Imagine a man like Gaara who's never received any caring in his life and who's never been on the receiving end of anyone's kindness. The beast was growling and snarling at you but you did what no one else had done before. You ignored its aggressiveness and walked right up to it and petted it. Of course he was going to wag his tail at you!"

The thought of Gaara wagging his tail was almost too much for her to take. She snorted. But the desperation was suddenly coming back to the surface. She buried her face in her hands. "I had no idea of what I was doing. I didn't know anything about his past."

"Of course you didn't, which made the whole thing worse. Here he was, being treated kindly by a complete stranger. A stranger who genuinely cared for the people of the village and that cooked him dinner at night. Not to mention a stranger who was more than happy to cuddle with him inside his futon," he finished with a sly grin.

Her hand struck out lightning fast, almost knocking him from the sofa where they were sitting.

"Point taken," she said through clenched teeth.

The blond chuckled at her while seeing to his injury. "I don't think you made a mistake in leaving. You needed some space and had to fulfil your promise to me, after all. But I think you should reflect about the whole thing."

And she had. She'd been thinking about their discussion for days now. All Naruto had told her might have been true but she still arrived at the same place: their lives where simply poles apart. They lived in completely different places and the lives they led were utter opposites. As before, there was no reconciliation there.

However, there was a mistake Sakura could rectify. She could return with Tenten when she went back to the clan and talk to Gaara about the whole thing. Sure, it was a long stretch that he'd actually want to have anything to do with her but it was the least she owed him. It was like Ino had said, he was entitled to know why Sakura had left and the conclusions she had come to. It took two to tango, after all. He'd be able to express his side of the story as well, if he wanted. Even though she suspected he'd be ranting and raging instead of talking. If he wanted to tell her what he felt, she wouldn't stop him. Either way, his words would not change her decision. She was clear on that.

Of course, building up the courage to return wasn't exactly an easy thing to do. She'd been fretting over it for days. Thankfully, her duties of taking care of Hinata and the wonders of the Forest City, especially it's Medical Academy, offered loads of distractions. It was the only way she had been able to stay sane. Between the dull ache in her chest and her mangled thoughts, a lesser woman would've crumbled under the pressure.

"Sakura, I'm off to lunch with some of the ambassadors," Hinata said, interrupting her inner contemplation.

Emerald eyes blinked, realizing it was midday already.

"Yes sure, go ahead," she said, standing up to help the Lady out of her chair.

"I'd ask but I'm sure you would decline an invitation to join me," the dark haired girl said as she stood from the chair with her assistance.

Sakura offered her an impish smile. "It goes to show you how much you know me."

Hinata giggled as she made her way into the Palace, where one of her maids was waiting to assist her."I'll see you later, then."

Waving goodbye, Sakura turned thoughtful emerald eyes towards the garden before her. She wondered what her eminent encounter with Gaara would be like when she returned to the village. It was bound to be explosive; there was no doubt about that. She'd wonder if he'd be able to see past his rage and understand her position.

It was highly unlikely.

She just hoped she would come out alive after the whole ordeal. In the meantime, she would have to muster her courage to meet him face to face. It wouldn't do to step into the fray before she was ready.

XXXXXXXXXX

As it turned out, readiness was not an option.

When she thought it over, Sakura knew she should have known better.

The word that peace had been achieved between the clans had reached Naruto and he had wasted no time in telling her. She and Tenten started planning their return, settling on a date three days hence.

It was only obvious for him to make a move before then.

"Haruno-sensei," an attendant said, knocking quietly on the door.

Sakura was hidden away in one of the archive rooms of the Forest Kingdom's Medical Academy. She had been busying herself with copying as many scrolls as she could before she left with Tenten. Her hand was already aching from writing the complicated kanji and she rubbed her wrist when she looked up at the young woman at the door.

"Yes?"

"There's someone here to see you," she replied, stepping back and signalling to the person beside her.

"Thank you," said a disturbingly familiar voice as the attendant bowed slightly before departing.

Sakura felt her blood freeze. This _couldn't_ be happening.

Gaara stepped into the room, his gourd strapped to his back, looking as if it was the most normal thing for him to be there. He surveyed the surroundings briefly before his eyes settled on her. A grin grew on his lips.

"Ho-how did you get here?" Sakura asked, standing up abruptly and toppling over the stool she had been using.

Jade eyes blinked at her in confusion, his smile dying. "I got to the Palace and was informed you weren't there," he remarked, as if stating the obvious. "Naruto told me where to find you." He took another step into the archive room and closed the door behind him.

The roseate haired medic realized her breathing was laboured and she tried to swallow past a sudden lump in her throat.

The redhead seemed oblivious to her discomfort and approached her.

Sakura braced herself, thinking he might strike out at her. But she suddenly realized he wasn't about to do that... instead, he made as if to embrace her!

"What are you doing?" she exclaimed, jumping back and lifting her hands in front of her.

Caught with his arms in mid-air, Gaara stopped dead in his tracks. His face turned deadly serious, jade eyes turning icy. Lowering his limbs, he took a good look at her and only then noticed how her chakra was emanating a strange mix of fear and anxiousness. And it was all directed at him.

He didn't like it one bit. It made the beast inside snarl in reaction.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice tight with tension. This was definitely not the reunion he had had in mind.

"What's wrong?" the roseate haired woman asked on the verge of hysteria. "_You_'re what's wrong."

Sakura knew she was behaving like an idiot but she couldn't help it. Gaara had caught her completely off-guard. She wasn't prepared for this, not in the least. All the emotional turmoil she had been fighting for the last days boiled and bubbled, leaving her in a state of frenzied panic.

"What?" Gaara asked in a quiet voice, made all the more deadly because of its softness.

"Wh-why are you here?" Sakura asked frantically.

"_Why_?" the redhead all but shouted in disbelief. "What are you talking about?"

Sakura swallowed. "I just don't understand."

"I'm the one who doesn't understand," he replied, hissing in irritation. "What is wrong with you? Here I am, coming to you after we've been separated for days and you act like if the last thing you want is to see me."

"I-I don't..." she started to say but her voice died. "Why aren't you angry?"

It was Gaara's turn to be caught off guard. "What?" he asked in perplexity. "Why should I be angry?"

"I LEFT!" Sakura shouted as she finally lost her composure. The tentative grip she had on her control finally gave way and left her frantic with agitation. She lifted her hands to her temples, looking frenetic. "I left you! I didn't even write a goodbye!"

Jade eyes blinked in utter bafflement. Silence fell between them and Gaara noticed how Sakura's eyes were welling up with unshed tears.

"Of course you left," he said after a moment. He attempted to keep the anger from his voice but it was impossible. The way she was behaving was grating terribly, leaving deep furrows of hurt. "Who did you think it was who asked Neji to accompany you to the border? I knew you needed to fulfil your mission and it was too good an opportunity to pass. The three of you needed to get out of there as quickly as possible in case the fighting started again. It was the reason why I asked him to get you out of there. Due to the circumstances, it was evident you wouldn't be able to say goodbye."

Sakura stared. She simply stared. It was the only thing she could do.

The implication of his words trickled down upon her perception like water insistently seeping through the cracks of a breaking dam. Its weight was overwhelming and she knew she would soon be crushed under its devastating heaviness. She was going to drown, crushed down by the torrent, thrashing helplessly against the force of the realization that her suffering had been all due to her own stupidity. Her lungs were threatening to cave in.

She was a thousand kinds of fool.

Gaara was standing there before her, looking bewildered and hurt by her reactions. He had acted selflessly, placing her needs before his own many times over, and she had repaid him with an utter lack of trust and sickening close-mindedness. Shame rose unbidden from the depths of her already chaotic emotions.

How could she have been so blind?

Tears spilled out from her eyes. She had been in the wrong, completely and indisputably... hence, it was her duty to attempt to correct her mistakes.

Sakura took one long look at his handsome face and breathed in deeply. In one fluid motion she stepped towards him, lowering her head and burying it in his chest. When Gaara didn't make a move to remove her, she proceeded to expose her heart to him.

She told him _everything_. She told him how she had felt suffocated, how she had despaired while thinking she would remain trapped in his village for the rest of her life. She confessed how much he immersed her in bliss when he touched her and how she had wept at night, missing the warmth of his body. The loneliness of her days without him had been a kind of slow death, made all the worse because she had brought it down upon herself. She told him how much she had dreaded leaving him but how she had thought it was the only option she had. It was inevitable for them to go their separate ways given the differences in the lives they led. She couldn't ask him to leave everything he had worked for in his life and she wouldn't be able to stay with him because she would lose her mind if she left the career she had built back home. She confessed the piercing regret she felt at not telling him any of this before but she had felt incredibly trapped. It wasn't a valid excuse, she knew, even so her feelings had been genuine. She told him how she planned on going back to the village with Tenten so she could tell him the things she was saying now. She told him how much she dreaded facing him again, thinking that his anger at her would likely consume him. It was too much to ask for his forgiveness but at least he would know her reasons.

She confessed how she wanted to lose herself in the feel of his arms around her one last time before she kissed him and set him free.

When the words finally stopped, her eyes were swollen with tears and her hands were gripping his vest tightly. She forced herself to take a few long breaths, calming herself enough so she could lift her face and take a step back from him.

When she finally managed to do so, her eyes collided with his jade gaze.

The anger she had anticipated before now rose to the surface and stood on the verge of detonation. Tension gripped his body tightly and his hands fisted at his side.

Gaara took in a deep breath and exploded.

"HOW COULD YOU HAVE BEEN SO INCREDIBLY STUPID?!" he roared, his sand suddenly swirling all around them. "Set me free?! I've never heard anything more blatantly asinine!"

Sakura flinched but forced herself to stay where she was. She was not backing down from what would be the dressing down of her life. Facing what she deserved with her head high was the least she could do. She thought he was going to be angry... well, he was seething now.

"Why the hell didn't you say anything?! And there I was, knowing something was wrong and giving you time so you would approach me when you were ready! I've never felt like such a fool in my entire life!"

He lifted his face and let out a fuming yell before continuing.

"You're an idiot, that's what you are! How could you think I'd make you stay at the village when I knew you're one of the most renowned medics around?! Bloody hell, I know I'm a pain when it comes to certain things but thinking I'd force you to stay is taking it way too far!"

Sakura cringed, admitting the truth in his words. She had just been so scared and desperate. It was as if the world was caving in on her and she needed to find an escape frantically.

"And what's all this crap about our lives being too different?" Gaara continued to yell. "Stop making lame excuses! Once I found you do you think I would let you go?! Do you think all that bullshit about our lives being incompatible is going to stop me from getting what I want? It's a load of crap, that's what it is! It's banal and meaningless! I DON'T CARE about all those stupid details! Send them all to hell! If you think I won't leave my village to be with you then you'd better think again. DON'T UNDERESTIMATE ME, WOMAN!"

The ground seemed to shift from under her. The words he was saying through the livid haze of his emotions couldn't be true. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her heart had almost leapt from her chest at his admission and she was finding it very hard to breathe.

"And if you won't have me, well, you're pretty much screwed!" the redhead shouted. "I already made it clear to my sister that I won't be returning to the village. All arrangements have been made. Why do you think it took me so long to get here? I'm here and I'm not going ANYWHERE!"

Sakura's mouth was hanging open as he stopped shouting, his chest heaving in wrath. She had no idea of how things had progressed in such a way or how they had arrived at this point but she was past caring. What Gaara was telling her was more than she would have ever expected and much more than she deserved.

When he opened his mouth to continue with his tirade, she threw herself at him.

He was taken aback by her actions but he caught her in time. Before he could rant at her any more, Sakura lifted her hands to bring his face down to hers and kissed him full on the lips. She released all her welled up emotions in that instant, letting him know exactly what he meant to her with her lips and tongue.

It didn't take long for Gaara to channel all his anger into another form of venting. He took control of the kiss effortlessly, turning it into a fierce onslaught of possessiveness. The intensity behind the caresses of his tongue curled Sakura's toes and she found herself sinking her fingers into his crimson locks just to hold on to her sanity. But he was merciless. He continued to drive all reason from her mind until all her world narrowed down to the feel of his hard body pressed against her and the sensations he was provoking with his kiss.

The heat pooled before she had time to notice and she was consumed by it. There was a ferocity behind his touch she had never witnessed before. The beast had been set loose and there was no going back. He circled an arm round her waist and lifted her, walking a few paces towards the nearest wall. A cushion of sand formed behind her as he leaned her back against the concrete. Stepping back for a moment, tendrils held her suspended before him as he lowered his gourd to the floor and stripped from the waist up. As he did so, a dozen little hands made of sand made quick work of her clothes, leaving her completely naked before him.

Sakura was too desperate for his touch and the ecstasy it brought her to care. Even if a group of academy students came barging in on them, she wouldn't stop him. They came together, burning skin on burning skin, and proceeded to turn each other to ash. She wrapped her legs around his hips, trying to bring him impossibly closer. His hands, his tongue, his teeth and his sand were everywhere, touching her simultaneously in all kinds of sensitive places. Never before had he used his sand in their love making; a small part of Sakura wondered why he had deprived her of such pleasure but such thoughts were quickly drowned. There were no words to describe the ecstasy he was pouring through her. Nothing else in the world existed once he unbuttoned his trousers and joined with her in a single wild thrust.

Nothing else.

The frantic rhythm he set scattered the last remnants of Sakura's rational mind. The sheer delight thrumming throughout her whole body threatened to drive her beyond the limits of what her body could handle. But Gaara drove her higher and higher, merciless and unrelenting.

She couldn't fight back the scream rising in her throat when they rose to the highest peak of bliss together and shattered into a million pieces. He swallowed her shout into his mouth, kissing her ruthlessly as she spasmed in his arms. Thoroughly fragmented and floating in a glorious light, Sakura hovered with him in a place where space and time had no meaning. When the last swells of her release finally dissipated, she slumped bonelessly against Gaara. He held her tightly, unwilling to let her go just yet.

"Don't think you've gotten away with this," he whispered in her ear. His voice was angry but its keen edge was completely gone. Given the right attention and the proper incentive, Sakura was sure she could reduce him to being just grumpy in a little while.

She answered by catching his ear lobe between her teeth and nibbling on it.

Something akin to a deep purr resounded from the vicinity of his chest. He allowed her to lower her legs and set her unsteadily on her feet. But she clung to him and wouldn't allow him to step back.

Letting out a deep breath, Gaara's lips curved upwards into the first hints of a smile. He tightened his hold on her and breathed in the scent of her roseate her.

His voice was fierce when he spoke. "Don't ever leave me in the dark again. I will not tolerate any secrets between us."

Her face buried in the skin of his shoulder, Sakura nodded her ascent.

After the torturous and miserable days she had suffered, she swore she would never repeat her mistake for as long as she drew breath.

* * *

The epilogue's next!


	10. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

*******

"So these are the infamous pillows?" Gaara asked. He was leaning back against the bed frame of Sakura's bed, piling the pillows behind his back with half his body immersed within the sheets.

"Yes they are," Sakura replied, buttoning her vest. She was running late for Hinata's check up this morning. It was all thanks to the haughty redhead lounging lazily in front of her.

"They are rather comfy," he admitted, wriggling back into his feathery support.

The pink haired medic chuckled and looked for her trousers to one side of the bed. Gaara had been rather impatient in removing them the previous night. Despite him having arrived at the Palace a few days before, he was still as intent as ever whenever it came to undressing Sakura. She didn't begrudge him this; after all, she was just as impatient when it came to removing his own garments.

"When do you think we'll be able to leave?" the redhead asked. He crossed his arms behind his head, giving Sakura a rather enticing view of his impressive arms.

She knew it was all a ruse to try and get her back into bed. Sadly, it wouldn't work this time. Not when one of her patients was waiting for her and in need of her attention. It was just one of the many lessons Gaara would have to learn when it came to sharing his life with her.

"By next week, most likely," Sakura replied. She had finally found her trousers and was pulling them on.

Gaara scowled as he lost sight of her panties. "Alright. And how long will it take for us to get to South City?"

"Naruto should provide us with some kind of transport so around three days at the most."

He nodded.

"I'm still unsure about your sister letting you go so easily," she admitted while putting on her boots.

"She didn't have much of a choice," Gaara said with a snort. "I didn't ask for her permission, I just informed her I was leaving."

Sakura sighed. She should've known it was bound to be that way.

"Temari has no reason to complain, though. She's gaining another experienced fighter in exchange."

That was true enough. Tenten was a skilled warrior and would be a great asset to the clan. Even so, Sakura wasn't sure she was at the same level as Gaara. But if Temari was willing to accept the whole scenario, the pink haired medic wasn't about to mention this little details to the Chieftain.

"Besides," Gaara said after a moment, "it's not like I'll never see her or Kankurou again. Knowing my sister, visits will definitely be arranged."

Thoughtful emerald eyes turned towards him as he said this and she walked over to sit on the bed. "Are you sure about all this?" she asked.

The cheeky grin she both loved and hated appeared on his lips. He lifted his hand and caught her arm, pulling her down towards him.

"You're what I want. I told you nothing ever comes in the way of what I want. If this is what I have to do to get it, so be it."

She smiled into his eyes and lowered her lips to kiss him. He let her kiss him; he let her fill his senses with an overwhelmingly thorough kiss. Her heartbeat started racing despite herself and she pulled away before he got any ideas.

They were in this position when the door to their room slammed open and a boisterous blond walked in.

"Sakura, what the hell is up? Hinata's waiting for you!" Naruto exclaimed, hands on his hips.

The medic squeaked and got up right away, slipping from Gaara's grasp. "I'm sorry! I'm all ready to go."

"Don't you know how to knock?" the redhead asked angrily.

Naruto turned arrogant sapphire eyes towards him. "I'm the _King_. I'm way above the need for knocking."

"You were interrupting," Gaara countered bitingly.

"Bah!" the blond replied, waving his hand in dismissal. "Nothing surprises me anymore. Besides, it's not like I haven't seen Sakura naked before."

"WHAT?" the redhead exclaimed, sitting up abruptly.

The pink haired medic slipped out of the room, making her way hurriedly down the corridor. Despite her rush, she heard Naruto's answer her lover's jealous question.

"Well, yeah, we did grow up together after all. There was this one time we went on this expedition when we were around sixteen and we could only wash in a river and..."

The rest of his sentence became inaudible as she rounded the corner and drowned his voice with her own lively laughter.

* * *

Thanks for reading guys!


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